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Showing posts from 2018

Rosmah Mansor charged on money laundering and tax evasion

Rosmah Mansor, wife of former Malaysia PM Najib, pleads not guilty to 17 counts of money laundering, tax evasion Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak, was charged on Thursday (Oct 4) morning with 17 offences , including receiving proceeds of illegal activities as well as failure to declare income tax. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/rosmah-mansor-najib-malaysia-17-counts-of-money-laundering-10789230

Life expectancy for Malaysia population

Interesting fact! I had always thought it is 90+ (think of Lee Kuan Yew and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad!). In 2017, life expectancy at birth in Malaysia is 72.7 years for male and 77.4 years for female . This figure has increased continuously over the years with the increasing of 0.6 years for both male and female compared to 2011. Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia

Christian Ronaldo is damn fit!

Wow! Body fat: 7% (this is 3% lower than the average professionals have) Muscle mass: 50% (4% higher than average) Speed: 21.1 mph ~ 34 km/h

Nine agencies to begin reporting to new Parliament

👍 KUALA LUMPUR: An administrative overhaul by the Pakatan Harapan government will see nine agencies operating as independent entities and reporting directly to Parliament when it starts tomorrow.  Among these are the Election Commission, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia and the National Audit Department. Other agencies are the Public Prosecutors Office, the Public Service Commission, the Education Service Commission and the Judicial Appointments Commission. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/07/15/nine-agencies-to-begin-reporting-to-new-parliament/

Former PM Najib Razak charged with corruption and CBT

Former Malaysian PM Najib Razak charged with corruption, criminal breach of trust Najib, 64, was charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust and one count of using his position for gratification as part of a probe into missing money from state fund 1MDB. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/najib-razak-charged-in-court-1mdb-corruption-10497402

Stranger donated liver to a baby

Such a noble act and so inspiring! 'When I saw this innocent baby facing death, I knew I had to do something': Stranger who donated liver to 6-month-old baby "To be honest, at this point, I am not afraid of death anymore, and if I could save this baby, I would have lived my life without regrets," the IT market manager told her friends in a text message before she went for the operation to donate her liver to Jayden. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/stranger-donated-liver-to-6-month-old-baby-10479596

1MDB sacks Arul Kanda, say sources

Wow, sacked 2 days before contract ends due to negligence! His termination came two days early, as his contract was supposed to expire on June 30. Arul first joined 1MDB in January 2015 and was tasked to turnaround the troubled finances of the state investment arm which was riddled with debts of about RM42bil during that time. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/06/29/1mdb-sacks-arul-kanda/

Selangor pays for parking via app from July 1

Selangor pays for parking via app from July 1 THE Selangor government will officially roll out a new parking payment app across five local councils in the state on July 1 as part of its Smart Selangor initiative.  Motorists will now be able to use the app to pay for parking on the street under the Shah Alam City Council as well as Ampang Jaya, Sepang, Kajang and Selayang municipal councils.  The Smart Selangor Parking (SSP) app is created by Leading Innovative Technologies and Systems Sdn Bhd in collaboration with Selangor Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) through the Smart Selangor Delivery Unit (SSDU). http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2018/06/29/selangor-pays-for-parking-via-app-from-july-1-all-major-local-councils-participating-in-initiative-e/

EPF members can contribute any amount to accounts

EPF members can contribute any amount to accounts from 1 July 2018.

Zeti appointed PNB group chairman

Looking forward to better economic outcomes for Malaysia! http://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2018/06/29/zeti-reported-to-be-pnb-executive-chairman/

Proper posture is important for good health

This serves as a great reminder! You can limit wear and tear by taking steps to improve your posture. Here are a few suggestions: Standing posture Hold your chest high. Relax your shoulders and keep them back. Pull in your abdomen and backside. Don't lock your knees or tilt your head in any direction. Balance your weight on both feet. Keep your feet parallel. Walking posture Hold your head high. Look forward, not down and keep your chin parallel to the ground. Lightly contract your abdominal muscles. Slightly bend your elbows, and freely swing your arms. Move your shoulders naturally. Straighten and avoid arching your back. Lying posture Search for a mattress that is right for you. Use a pillow when you sleep. Don't sleep on your stomach. Put a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side. Put a pillow under your knees if you sleep on your back. Ergonomics at the office  — Sitting at a desk all day can contribute to aches and pains. However, practicing good office ergonom

Anthony Bourdain has died of suicide

Another sad tragedy :-( RIP Anthony Bourdain. Anthony Bourdain, TV chef and travel host, found dead aged 61 TV chef Anthony Bourdain has died of suicide, CNN has said. He was 61.  The cable news network, which hosted Bourdain's globe-trotting culinary travel guide Parts Unknown, confirmed Bourdain's death on Friday and said the cause of death was suicide. "It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain," the network said in a statement Friday morning. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jun/08/anthony-bourdain-chef-found-dead-61

Task force will be established to review national curriculum

Jawatankuasa kaji semula kurikulum negara diwujudkan "Sebuah jawatankuasa yang meliputi pakar-pakar bukan kerajaan akan diwujudkan untuk menambah baik kurikulum pendidikan di peringkat tadika sehingga universiti. "Ini termasuk mengambil kira kurikulum dari negara-negara luar dan turut meliputi aspek-aspek tertentu seperti kesedaran sivik dan sebagainya," katanya dalam sidang media di Perdana Putra hari ini.

Malaysia needs to improve on food hygiene

In addition, the restaurant owners were slapped with notices by the Health Ministry because its employees had not been administered anti-typhoid vaccination and had not attended food handling training, among other reasons. http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2018/06/07/rajs-on-tenterhooks-as-meeting-to-decide-its-fate-postponed/

Ambrin Buang to lead the special investigation task force

Ambrin Buang ketuai jawatankuasa siasatan khas isu tadbir urus - PM PUTRAJAYA:  Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad hari ini mengumumkan bekas Ketua Audit Negara Tan Sri Ambrin Buang sebagai pengerusi Jawatankuasa Siasatan Khas isu-isu tadbir urus, perolehan dan kewangan negara. Siasatan akan bermula dengan Kementerian Pertahanan, katanya pada sidang media selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Kabinet di Perdana Putra, di sini, hari ini. Ambrin berkhidmat sebagai Ketua Audit Negara kira-kira 11 tahun sejak 23 Feb 2006 sebelum bersara pada 22 Feb 2017. http://www.astroawani.com/berita-malaysia/ambrin-buang-ketuai-jawatankuasa-siasatan-khas-isu-tadbir-urus-pm-177498

RIP Kate Spade

Another life is lost. Kate Spade, the famous handbag designer, apparently committed suicide at the age 55.  Mental health issue e.g. depression, is a recurring events in today's society - it ought to be looked into deeply. "Kate suffered from depression and anxiety for many years. She was actively seeking help and working closely with her doctors to treat her disease, one that takes far too many lives. We were in touch with her the night before and she sounded happy. There was no indication and no warning that she would do this. It was a complete shock. And it clearly wasn't her. There were personal demons she was battling," he said. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/06/style/kate-spade-husband-andy-spade.html

Healthy noodles recipe

Dongguan rice noodle (vermicelli) Vege stock powder or liquid (organic) Turmeric Parsley (fresh) This site also lists various names for MSG. Need to reduce consumption of instant noodles. http://www.feelthelean.com/healthy-instant-noodles/

Red files in Ministry of Finance opened up

Rahsia fail merah terbongkar

Tommy Thomas as Malaysia’s new AG

One more mission accomplished! Malaysian king consents to appointment of Tommy Thomas as Attorney-General "The Yang di-Pertuan Agong also called on all Malaysians to accept that the appointment of the Attorney-General should not create religious or racial conflict as every Malaysian should be fairly treated regardless of race and religion," he said. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysian-king-attorney-general-to-appointment-of-tommy-thomas-10378356

Zidane steps down as Real Madrid head coach in shock announcement

OMG! He does this at the height of his coaching career. Salute! The Frenchman, formerly coach of Real Madrid Castilla, was appointed as head coach of Real's first team in January 2016 after the dismissal of Rafa Benítez, and guided the club to the Champions League title by beating Atlético Madrid on penalties in the final. He won the Spanish league title in his second season, then became the first manager to win the Champions League in his first three seasons when Real defeated Juventus in the 2017 final, and Liverpool this month. "A change is needed. I'm not going to get involved in these things," he said when asked about a possible successor. "I'm not here to talk about the future of this team." https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/may/31/zinedine-zidane-real-madrid-manager-steps-down

Govt scraps MRT 3 project

PUTRAJAYA: The Klang Valley mass rapid transit line 3 (MRT 3 or Circle Line) project, reported to cost between RM40bil and RM45bil, will not proceed, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The MRT3 or MRT Circle Line was planned as the third MRT line for the Greater Klang Valley area. While the MRT1 connects Sungai Buloh and Kajang, the MRT2, which is now under construction, will run from Sungai Buloh to Serdang and Putrajaya. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/05/31/govt-scraps-mrt-3-project-pm-we-must-reduce-our-borrowings/

Pakatan's PTPTN pledge put on hold

Pakatan's PTPTN pledge put on hold for now, says Education Minister Pakatan's election manifesto included delaying PTPTN loan repayments for those earning RM4,000 and below. In the past, borrowers were required to start paying back their loans six months after graduation. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/05/31/pakatans-ptptn-pledge-put-on-hold-for-now-says-education-minister/

Tabung Harapan Malaysia for Malaysians to contribute to settle nation's debt

Trust fund set up for Malaysians to contribute to settle nation's debt - Nation | The Star Online https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/05/30/trust-fund-set-up-for-malaysians-to-contribute-to-settle-nations-debt/ Trust fund set up for Malaysians to contribute to settle nation's debt PUTRAJAYA: The Government has set up a trust fund known as Tabung Harapan Malaysia (THM) for Malaysians to contribute towards alleviating the country's debt, says Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pic) . The Prime Minister said that the fund was set up to accept contributions from the public who want to help ease the Government's financial situation. "When people realised how bad the Government's finances are, many came forward, expressing their willingness to contribute. "We welcome their act of patriotism and would like to thank them for their generosity," he said on Wednesday after chairing the Cabinet meeting. Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said

MH17 downed by Russian military missile system, say investigators

Like the missing of MH370, MH17 downing incident is buried deep down in my heart. May we find the truth one day. MH17 downed by Russian military missile system, say investigators An international team of investigators say they have uncovered hard evidence that a Russian military missile system fired the missile that shot down flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014. The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down over the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine on 17 July 2014. All 298 people onboard were killed. In 2016, investigators  announced they had evidence  that the  BUK system  involved in the incident had crossed the border into eastern Ukraine from Russia and returned after the plane had been shot down. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/24/mh17-downed-by-russian-military-missile-system-say-investigators?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Malaysia up to 22nd spot in world ranking for competitiveness

Malaysia naik ke ranking 22 senarai Daya Saing Dunia

Tony Pua and Ong Kian Ming to help Finance Ministry

No pay but we're going to help Finance Ministry, say Pua and Ong PETALING JAYA: Their penchant for crunching numbers has landed DAP MPs Tony Pua and Dr Ong Kian Ming a half-year stint with the Finance Ministry.

Short-term pain for Malaysian stock market as clean-up continues

KLSE has dropped to below 1800 level amid the revelation of RM 1 trillion national debt.

Anwar Ibrahim freed from prison after royal pardon from Malaysian king

A moment to rejoice! KUALA LUMPUR: Jailed Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leader Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday (May 16) left the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital a free man after receiving a royal pardon from the Malaysian king. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/anwar-ibrahim-freed-from-prison-royal-pardon-malaysia-10237840

US, China back off on tariffs, easing trade tensions

👍 WASHINGTON: US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin confirmed on Sunday (May 20) that Washington and Beijing have agreed to back off from imposing tariffs on each other, a day after reaching an accord on slashing the American trade deficit with China. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/us-china-back-off-on-tariffs-easing-trade-tensions-10251524

Committee on Institutional Reforms accepting complaints from people, groups

Finally! 👍 "The Committee requests that the representations should be for the purpose of institutional reform and institutional issues and not about any personal grievances or individual misconduct of public officers," it said in a statement on Monday (May 21). "The Committee will if necessary, invite these individuals and groups for face-to-face meetings," added the Committee, which falls under the Council of Eminent Persons. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/05/21/committee-on-institutional-reforms-accepting-complaints-from-people-groups/

Impact from Grab-Uber merger in SEA

- Lesser or closed to none rebates for users - Reduced incentives for drivers - Nonetheless the options have increased for users compared to previous years - Drivers are considering to join taxi company, Comfort DelGro for a more stable income - New entrants would pose little threat to Grab with its USD 2 billion on hand thus monopolistic situation may persist The Big Read: When the music stops, Uber-less reality hits commuters and Drivers http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/no-uber-grab-hits-commuters-drivers-hard-no-incentives-promos-10253762

Tun Mahathir drops education portfolio

Very glad that he honours the manifesto pledge :-) Malaysian PM Mahathir drops education portfolio to honour manifesto pledge On Thursday, Dr Mahathir announced that he would tackle education at a news conference. He had joked that "so many people are uneducated in this country so I thought I should give my attention to that". http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysian-pm-mahathir-drops-education-portfolio-to-honour-10247712

Programming errors in 15,000 iOS apps

Over 15,000 iOS apps have 'programming error' that could expose iPhones to attacks A programming error that could expose thousands of iPhones to attacks has been found in over 15,000 iOS apps, some that have been downloaded over 100 million times. Dubbed ZipperDown, the flaw was discovered by China-based iPhone jailbreaking experts Pangu Team which noticed the programming error while auditing various iOS apps. "According to our search, 15,978 out of 168,951 iOS apps are potentially vulnerable. ZipperDown is a very typical programming error, and we did not expect so many iOS apps to have this issue," stated Pangu on its ZipperDown  website . http://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2018/05/17/over-15000-ios-apps-possibly-exposed-to-attacks/

Wish Tun Dr Mahathir stays healthy!

Dr Siti Hasmah worried about Dr M's health, lack of sleep On one night, he went through 200 documents until 4-5am. At 7am, he was already in the office," she said in a post on the Kelab Che Det Facebook page. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/05/17/dr-siti-hasmah-worried-about-dr-ms-health-lack-of-sleep/

1MDB Audit Report has been declassified

Finally! This 1MDB Audit Report can be retrieved from the www.audit.gov.my website. The 20 pages summary is found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13KnemxJL5Ac1PWqzKAjYaKI9KQMOIEpZ/view?usp=sharing http://www.astroawani.com/berita-bisnes/terkini-laporan-audit-1mdb-bukan-lagi-rahsia-175567

Facebook data privacy and trust issue

The tech execs who have called out Facebook's trust problem "It's a technology that's addictive, it may not be that great for you, and it might be something that you want to go back to," said Benioff, whose company focuses on cloud computing. "So maybe this is a time where the government has to step in and regulate"

Google selling AI to US military: Good read

Google is riven by debate over selling AI to US military The pact could generate millions in revenue for Alphabet Inc's Internet giant. But inside a company whose employees largely reflect the liberal sensibilities of the San Francisco Bay Area, the contract is about as popular as President Donald Trump. Not since 2010, when Google retreated from China after clashing with state censors, has an issue so roiled the rank and file. Almost 4,000 Google employees, out of an Alphabet total of 85,000, signed a letter asking Google chief executive officer Sundar Pichai to nix the Project Maven contract and halt all work in "the business of war".

PGP and S/MIME no longer secure

Popular encrypted e-mail standards are unsafe: researchers FRANKFURT:  European researchers have found that the popular PGP and S/MIME e-mail encryption standards are vulnerable to being hacked and they urge users to disable and uninstall them immediately. University researchers from Muenster and Bochum in Germany, and Leuven in Belgium, discovered the flaws in the encryption methods that can be used with popular e-mail applications such as Microsoft Outlook and Apple Mail. "There are currently no reliable fixes for the vulnerability," lead researcher Sebastian Schinzel, professor of applied cryptography at the Muenster University of Applied Sciences, said on May 14. http://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2018/05/15/popular-encrypted-email-standards-are-unsafe--european-researchers/

Plan to remove Malaysia's GST may be announced within '100 days'

"We have not decided whether it's going to be zeroised from 6 per cent to 0 per cent, we don't know how it's going to be done, but it will be done. But the ultimate objective is well known to everyone, to put more purchasing power into the hands of the people, especially in the middle and lower income groups." http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/plan-to-remove-malaysia-s-gst-may-be-announced-within-100-days-10235508

Malaysia 2018 Election Results

Status as at 10 May 2018 @ 1:30 am Official announcement by EC Chairman: - PAS wins Kelantan & Terengganu - PH wins Penang - BN wins Perlis & Pahang

Prosecutor applies to ICC for Rohingya jurisdiction

I support! An affirmative decision could pave the way for her to investigate the alleged deportations as a possible crime against humanity. One reason for the question over jurisdiction is that, while Bangladesh is a member of the court, Myanmar is not. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/myanmar-says--seriously-concerned--over-war-crimes-prosecutor-move-on-rohingya-jurisdiction-10136348

Oversupply of office and retail space in Malaysia

Bank Negara cautions of severe property market imbalances KUALA LUMPUR: Severe property market imbalances due to the acute oversupply of the office space and shopping complex segments, if left unchecked, can pose risks to macroeconomic and financial stability, warns Bank Negara Malaysia. In its Financial Stability and Payment Systems Report 2017 issued on Wednesday, it said that last year banks' end-financing for the purchase of non-residential properties stood at RM213.4bil (2016: RM209.1il). This was an annual increase of 2.1% (2016: 6.1%). "Such financing accounted for 26.1% of banks' exposures to the property market or 13.5% of banks' total outstanding loans.

BNM foiled falsified SWIFT cyber attempt

Good job, BNM! Bank Negara says it foiled cyber heist attempt KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara said on Thursday that it had detected and foiled a cybersecurity incident involving attempted unauthorised fund transfers using falsified SWIFT messages.  The attempted cyber heist was thwarted on Tuesday. "All unauthorised transactions were stopped through prompt action in strong collaboration with SWIFT, other central banks and financial institutions," the central bank said in a statement. http://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2018/03/29/bank-negara-says-it-foiled-cyber-heist-attempt/

Larry Nassar allegedly wasn't the only sexual predator at Michigan State

Larry Nassar's boss, the Dean is the other sexual predator! What has MSU been doing all along? At Michigan State, it was one sexual predator managing another, prosecutors now charge. It was two pathetic doctors who saw women (or girls) as little more than objects to be used for their sexual desires. https://sports.yahoo.com/larry-nassar-wasnt-sexual-predator-michigan-state-170844877.html

Cheap parking to KLIA or KL Sentral

Parking rate at Putrajaya Sentral 6-12 am: RM 2 12-6 am: RM 6 From Putrajaya Sentral via KLIA Transit ERL To KLIA 2 @ RM 4.20 To KL Sentral @ RM 6.30 Got sample calculations and calculator some more ;-) 👍 Source:  Parking Murah ke KLIA / KLIA2 | Ada Kalkulator Untuk Kira Kadar Parking https://blog.pakej.my/info/tempat-parking-murah-ke-klia-atau-klia2/

CO3 and Medini Iskandar set to create ‘world’s most liveable work space’

Good to know! KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — Bursting into the local start-up scene last year, CO3 Social Office Sdn Bhd is now collaborating with Medini Iskandar Malaysia (MIM) to develop what it ambitiously calls the "world's most liveable work space." The two companies signed a term sheet yesterday, with an agreement to be signed by June, which would see CO3 opening its social office campus at the soon-to-be completed Medini 9 office complex in Medini City, Iskandar Puteri. Unlike regular, co-sharing work spaces, CO3 aims to offer a space which will integrate work and play; where one can even make the office space a venue to unwind. This includes free yoga and photography classes, as well as an entrepreneurship exchange to Japan, among a host of programmes paid for by CO3 for its members, under the Liveability Model initiative. "The Liveability Model integrates the elements of work space, lifestyle and 'ourselves' into everyday life. We aim to elevate CO3 to a &

Alibaba beats forecasts again, takes stake in affiliate Ant

The group, which also raised its forecast for the year ahead, will take a 33 percent stake in payment affiliate Ant Financial, an important step ahead of an expected initial public offering (IPO) by Ant, valued at $60 billion in 2016. "This is no secret, everybody knows that Ant Financial will IPO, and (buying the stake) is just something they had to do before that happens," Beijing-based analyst Li Chengdong said. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/alibaba-revenue-jumps-56-percent-115957055.html

Alibaba stock price down

BABA $180.30 (-2.63%) on Yahoo Finance

Fitness tracking app could be ‘serious security threat’

"Given the area is a highly sensitive place and Google Maps actually blurred out key details of the area since it's a red zone, you can still figure out and get lots of intel with the trove of data that recruits/staff share publicly everyday within … likely from their smartwatch or health trackers." http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-strava-fitness-tracking-app-security-military-9910070

Mahathir named Malaysian opposition's prime minister pick

BREAKING: Former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad is the opposition's choice for interim Prime Minister until @ anwaribrahim can get a royal pardon and take over. PKR President @ drwanazizah is the deputy PM pick. # GE14 http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/mahathir-named-malaysian-opposition-s-prime-minister-pick-9840014