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Malaysia fresh grads shelve dream jobs

Spectreoutreach — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 05:54:13 +0800

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As Covid-19 dims prospects, Malaysian fresh grads shelve dream jobs for any work to pay the bills
Wednesday, 28 Jul 2021 04:59 AM MYT

BY SHAHRIN AIZAT NOORSHAHRIZAM

Qayyum works the cash register at a local petrol station and delivers parcels everyday for Lalamove just to make ends meet.. — Picture courtesy of Qayyum Gustaf
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KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — Like many others who pursued higher education, Qayyum Gustaf believed a university degree would be his ticket to a cushier life, or at the very least, better starting pay when he entered the job market.

It’s been about a year-and-a-half since then, and the international business management graduate has instead found himself working the cash register at a local petrol station while driving his old Perodua MyVi delivering parcels everyday for Lalamove just to make ends meet.

“I graduated in January last year and have applied for countless jobs that align with the course that I took back in the university but the first MCO in March [last year] has definitely put a stop sign to my job searching mission. I became unemployed for the next six months.

“In order to escape from the pressure of being unemployed, I told myself that I cannot be choosy while the country’s facing an economic crisis and decided to work as a cashier at a local petrol station and three months after that, I was promoted to be an assistant supervisor,” the 26-year-old told Malay Mail.

Qayyum is just one of the 4.35 million Malaysians who graduated in 2020 and can be considered fortunate to find employment as Covid-19 enveloped the world, devastating economies everywhere.

According to data released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia yesterday, the number of unemployed graduates went up by 22.5 per cent to 202,400 people last year compared to 165,200 jobless graduates in 2019.

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin noted in his report that more employed graduates were now holding “semi-skilled and low-skilled jobs” that did not match their level of academic qualifications.

But far from complaining, these young adults are demonstrating a resilience to do whatever it takes to earn money for their own bills and independence from their family.

Goh Cheah Eng is another 26-year-old juggling several jobs just to make ends meet.

The sports science degree-holder who was raised by his single mother still lives with her in an old apartment in Kulim, Kedah.

He told Malay Mail that he has worked at countless cafes and other retail businesses since he was 18 years old. Now at 26, he has become a Grab driver to supplement his online business venture, which he candidly said was not doing so well.

Goh’s unsold stockpile of healthcare products. He says the online business venture has not been doing so well. — Picture courtesy of Goh Cheah Eng
He withdrew RM10,000 from his Employee Providence Funds (EPF) account through the government's “iSinar” initiative to open a business account on popular online shopping platform Shopee to sell healthcare products.

“I’m afraid that I can only last around October or November. That’s why I became a part time Grab driver to earn extra income,” he shared with Malay Mail.

Goh said he feels like he is living in limbo now and is wracked with anxiety as he has not given up hope that he will get called for interviews for jobs that he has applied for.

Universiti Teknologi Mara graduate Muhammad Nadzmi Ruzaini opted to move out from his family home in Bangi, Selangor for a low-cost apartment in Cheras that he shares with a friend to lessen the burden on his parents.

The second eldest child says his two younger siblings are still schooling. He counts himself lucky as the Cheras apartment belongs to his grandmother who is currently living with his uncle in Klang.

A mass media and communication degree-holder,

Nadzmi has been called to at least three to four interviews, but has yet to receive a concrete offer. — Picture courtesy of Muhammad Nadzmi Ruzaini
Nadzmi currently works at a fast food restaurant in Kajang as a delivery boy but like Goh, is persevering in hunting for a job that matches his university qualifications.
He told Malay Mail that he has been called to at least three to four interviews, but was not eventually hired. This has caused him sleepless nights as he is now doubting himself.

“I’m currently working as a Pizza Hut delivery boy in Kajang. Despite my busy schedule, I still managed to apply for some jobs, internship placements, and attend virtual interviews.

“The pandemic has changed the hiring policies and the working culture itself. I'm someone who prefers to get physical guidance rather than just based on screens [video conferences],” he said.

Nazmi views himself as “a little bit conservative” and is worried his job prospects may be blunted because he cannot adapt as quickly as some of his peers with companies that have transitioned from an office setting and adopted the work-from-home culture.

Law graduate Nandhini Sivaaragam dreams of joining a practice one day. The 25-year-old is currently freelancing as a graphic designer — it is her other interest — and is holding in the envy of seeing her friends secure jobs within the scope of their study in university.

But Nandhini is quite sanguine about her situation. She considers herself lucky to have parents she can rely on to back her up amid the current economic downturn.

She said that since the pandemic started, the competition for vacancies has become greater as the number of retrenched workers actively hunting for jobs have increased.

“Like I said, it's tough because the competency is higher and most of the vacancies are for experienced candidates.

“The challenge is the same as other fresh grads before the pandemic, but now the chances for us to be employed are much more narrow, so if the fresh grads back then had to try hard until they find a stable job, today we need to do it harder.

“I mean, the government already provided some initiatives to help like Personel MyStep, etc but most of us are still jobless, which means the time is really hard now and those initiatives are still not enough,” she told Malay Mail.

“To be honest, I'm quite fortunate financially, for now. The challenge is actually more mental as we all know we need a stable job to survive rather than some freelance jobs, especially during this time.

“I mean you don’t see a lot of opportunities if I focus on freelance now. And the pressure from family, and the pressure from seeing your friends start to have decent jobs as well,” she added.https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2021/07/28/as-covid-19-dims-prospects-malaysian-fresh-grads-shelve-dream-jobs-for-any/1993158

Jeff Bezos Thanks Amazon Employees AfterSpacetrip

Spectreoutreach — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 08:51:11 +0800

The billionaire space race hit another milestone on July 20 when Jeff Bezos made it to space and back in a 10-minute-long flight in the first-ever human flight on Blue Origin’s New Shepard Rocket Ship.

You can watch a replay of Bezos’ flight and information about the journey here.

Upon his landing, Bezos and his crew (brother Mark Bezos, astronaut Wally Funk and high-school graduate Oliver Daemen) spoke to the press about their flight and experience of being over 60 miles above Earth’s ground.

“My expectations were high and they were dramatically exceeded … The most profound piece of it for me was looking out at the earth and looking at the earth’s atmosphere,” Bezos gushed to the crowd in Texas. “Every astronaut, everybody who’s been up into space, they say this, that it changes them and they look at it and they’re kind of amazed and awestruck by the Earth and its beauty. But also by its fragility, and I can vouch for that.”

Related: Jeff Bezos Makes History in Successful Space Flight

He then went on to talk about the Earth and how space exploration could be key for future generations to understand how the environment is being damaged and how imperative it is to make an effort to maintain it.

“Big things start small, but you can tell when you’re onto something. And this is important. We’re working to build a road to space so that our kids and their kids can build the future and we need to do that,” Bezos explained. “We need to do that to solve the problems here on Earth … the whole point is this is the only good planet in this Solar System. We’ve sent robotic probes to all of them — this is the only good one, I promise you. We have to take care of it … this is how it starts.”

Bezos also took the time to thank his team at Amazon and all Amazon customers for helping essentially fund the trip through their work and purchases.

Related: Jeff Bezos Kicked Off Space Tourism Onboard Blue Origin

“I want to thank every Amazon employee and every Amazon customer because you guys paid for this,” he joked. “Seriously, for every Amazon customer out there and every employee thank you from the bottom of my heart very much. It’s very appreciated.”https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/377928

CCP vow to nuke Japan,send 1ship to aid Taiwan

Spectreoutreach — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 06:21:53 +0800

[twt]https://twitter.com/jenniferatntd/status/1414971285160005634[/twt]

China Embassy : This is routine flight training

Spectreoutreach — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 07:44:51 +0800

KUALA LUMPUR: The 16 People's Liberation Army-Air Force (PLAAF) that were said to have entered Malaysian airspace on Monday were on routine flight training and had adhered to relevant international laws.

A spokesman of the Chinese embassy in Malaysia said the Chinese military aircraft did not enter the territorial airspace of any country during the training and had strictly abided by the relevant laws.

"As far as I know, the reported activities are routine flight training of the Chinese air force and did not target any country. According to the relevant international laws, Chinese military aircraft enjoy the freedom of overflight in the relevant airspace.

"China and Malaysia are friendly neighbours, and China is willing to continue bilateral friendly consultations with Malaysia to jointly maintain regional peace and stability," the spokesman said.

Earlier, it was reported that the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) detected and intercepted 16 PLAAF aircraft from China which entered Malaysian airspace at 11.53am on Monday.

According to RMAF chief General Tan Sri Ackbal Abdul Samad, the PLAAF aircraft were detected to have flown at 23,000 and 27,000 feet with a speed of 290 knots through the Singapore flight information region (FIR) before entering the Malaysian Maritime Zone and Kota Kinabalu (KK) FIR.

"Then, they flew further to reach almost 60 nautical miles from the coast of Sarawak's territory, and this brought the fear of a threat to the nation's sovereignty. RMAF then launched Hawk 208 aircraft from the 6th Squadron from the Labuan Air Base to be on standby through RMAF's 'Op Curiga'," he said.

RMAF continued with radar monitoring and several attempts were made to direct the PLAAF aircraft to contact KK FIR air traffic control, but the instructions were ignored.

Based on the interception carried out, RMAF identified the PLAAF aircraft as Ilyushin Il-76 and Xian Y-20 transport aircraft, which are capable of performing various missions.https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/06/695092/chinese-embassy-aircraft-were-routine-flight-training-adhered

SG JobsSupport Scheme extended to retailers, gyms

Spectreoutreach — Fri, 28 May 2021 16:43:59 +0800

SINGAPORE: More sectors affected by the latest COVID-19 restrictions will get wage subsidies under the Jobs Support Scheme, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said on Friday (May 28).

Mr Wong, who is also co-chair of the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force, said the toughened measures have helped combat a spike in community cases.

"Our assessment is that the measures are working and they are having an effect in controlling the spread of the virus," he said. There is no need for stricter restrictions, he added.

Singapore entered Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) on May 16 amid rising COVID-19 community cases. The tightened restrictions are to last until Jun 13.

Group sizes for gatherings have been cut to two people, and dining-in at all F&B outlets banned. People should also work from home by default during this period.

READ: COVID-19 measures 'are working', no further tightening expected: Lawrence Wong

READ: COVID-19 grant to provide one-off payout to workers suffering income loss, on no-pay leave during Heightened Alert period
When the measures were announced on May 14, the Government raised the Jobs Support subsidy for F&B businesses from 10 to 50 per cent for salaries paid up to June 2021.

The scheme provides subsidies to companies for the first S$4,600 of gross monthly wages paid to local employees.

The 50 per cent wage support has now been extended to sectors and businesses where many, if not all, of their operations are suspended during the period of heightened alert.

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This includes gyms, fitness studios, performing arts organisations, and arts education centres. The Jobs Support subsidy replaces an operating grant for gyms and fitness studios earlier announced.

Sectors that are not required to suspend operations but are significantly affected by the tightened measures will get wage subsidies of 30 per cent from May 16 to Jun 13.

These are businesses in the retail sector, affected personal care services, museums, art galleries, historical sites, cinemas, indoor playgrounds and other family entertainment centres. Some retailers like supermarkets, convenience stores and online retailers will not be eligible.

The payout, based on wages paid between April and June this year, will be disbursed in September, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

Companies that put local employees on mandatory no-pay leave or retrench them will not be eligible for Jobs Support payouts for those employees.

RENTAL SUPPORT

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and eligible non-profit organisations (with revenue of S$100 million or less) will also receive rental relief.

These include hotels, serviced apartments, MICE venues, ferry terminals or cruise centres, tourist attractions, cinemas, schools, health or medical buildings and cinemas.

Government-owned commercial properties will get one month of rental relief for qualifying tenants. Tenants will be required to pass down the rental relief received to qualifying sub-tenants, if any.

Some privately owned commercial properties have given rental waivers or rebates to tenants, said MOF. To provide additional support, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore will disburse half a month of rental relief in cash to qualifying tenants as part of a new Rental Support Scheme. The payout will be disbursed starting from mid-August.

Those who run an SME business or non-profit organisation on their own property will also be eligible for the cash payout.

READ: Group sizes down from 5 to 2, dining-in suspended as Singapore tightens COVID-19 measures
Hawkers and coffee shop stallholders who are tenants of government agencies are already getting one month of rental waiver. Authorities also encouraged commercial landlords to “support their F&B tenants through this period”.

Fees for table-cleaning and centralised dishwashing services have also been waived for around 6,000 cooked food stallholders in hawker centres managed by the National Environment Agency or appointed operators.

Mr Wong also announced help for people suffering from income loss in the form of a one-off grant.

Those who have been put on at least one month of involuntary no-pay leave or have suffered income loss of at least 50 per cent for at least one month between May 16 and Jun 30 may apply for the grant.

The package of support measures will cost the Government S$800 million, which will be funded through reallocation from development expenditure.

The Government does not expect to require an additional draw on past reserves at this point, said MOF. Mr Wong will table a Supplementary Supply Bill at the next Parliament sitting in July for the reallocation.https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/jobs-support-scheme-covid-19-phase-2-rental-retail-gyms-14903738

Forklift Driving Becomes a Desk Job

Spectreoutreach — Thu, 13 May 2021 17:49:11 +0800

Phantom Auto, a California-based startup focusing on remote vehicle operation, has struck a deal to provide logistics equipment heavyweight Mitsubishi Logisnext Co. with software that enables forklifts to be operated remotely from thousands of miles away.

A unit of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Kyoto-based Mitsubishi Logisnext is the third-biggest company in the $45 billion-plus global market for forklifts. Via their tie-up, Bessemer Venture Partners-backed Phantom Auto and Mitsubishi will offer forklifts that can rove around a warehouse in California, controlled by workers sitting at a desk a continent away.

“We’re moving warehouse workers into office jobs,” Elliot Katz, Phantom Auto co-founder and chief business officer, said in an interview. Because it removes geographic labor restrictions and improves efficiency as drivers can be “teleported” into factories experiencing surges, the software offers the potential to knock 30% or more off forklift operation costs, Katz said.

Remote Forklift Driver
A driver operates a forklift remotely.Source: Phantom Auto

The software fits a need that has become acute during the Covid-19 pandemic. With online sales of everything from sweatpants to toilet paper booming, warehouses and distribution centers have had to quickly scale-up their operations. Yet, at the same time, infection-prevention measures are forcing companies to limit the number of employees working on-site.

That’s exacerbating an already existing labor crunch in the manufacturing and logistics sectors in economies like the U.S. where younger generations are turning away from manufacturing jobs. Deloitte estimates that as many as 2.1 million manufacturing jobs will go unfilled through 2030. Japan, as well, is grappling with a chronic shortage of workers across many industries.

Remote operation helps solve this issue because it offers access to new labor pools — in different regions of a country or even abroad. The ability to control machinery from home or from an office also makes manufacturing and logistics jobs more appealing to workers seeking more flexibility and to avoid some of the risks of working on-site, according to Katz.

Pallet Jack
A pallet jack with Phantom Auto software.Source: Phantom Auto
Beyond logistics applications, adding Mitsubishi to its roster of customers is a way for Phantom Auto to build revenue and scale its systems for potential deployment in autonomous vehicle fleets in the future, Katz said. To date, Phantom Auto has poured around $20 million into its teleoperation technologies, he said.

The idea is that future self-driving vehicle fleets will benefit from the added safety benefit of having humans on standby, ready to take control should automation encounter a situation it isn’t capable of navigating on its own.

Robotaxis aren’t a segment where there’s broad deployment, leading Phantom Auto to focus first on the logistics space and delivery robots used by services such as Postmates, Katz said. But “our software is vehicle-agnostic so the same technology we’re integrating into logistics vehicles today is ultimately what we’ll introduce in robotaxi and commercial trucking cases in the future,” he said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/202...witter-business

Widow arrested over murder of Japan’s ‘Don Juan'

Spectreoutreach — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 19:38:56 +0800

TOKYO, April 28 — The young widow of an ageing Japanese real estate mogul was arrested today on suspicion of murdering the self-described “Don Juan” just months into their marriage, local media said, citing police sources.

Kosuke Nozaki, who boasted in his autobiography of spending millions of dollars on young, beautiful women, died in 2018 of acute poisoning aged 77.

His widow Saki Sudo, now 25, allegedly killed Nozaki by making him take a large amount of an unspecified stimulant. Some reports said it had been mixed into a drink, as no needle marks were found on his body.

Local police declined to confirm the arrest when contacted by AFP.

Nozaki, who ran a real estate business, liquor sales company and money-lending enterprise, claimed in his best-selling autobiography that he had spent ¥3 billion (RM110 million) on wooing 4,000 women.

“The reason I make money is to date attractive women,” he wrote in the 2016 book titled Don Juan of Kishu, after the region in western Japan where he lived.

“I have no interest in cars or houses. Instead, I have a boundless desire to have sex with beautiful women,” he said in the book, which also included chapters on how to seduce college students and cabin crew.

Nozaki built his fortune from nothing, selling everything from metal scraps to condoms to liquor, according to the website of the book’s publisher.

In his will, he said he wanted to donate ¥1.3 billion to the city of Tanabe in Wakayama prefecture, where he had lived.

But because half of his estate goes to his widow under civil law, the city had been in talks with Sudo about splitting the money, the Sankei Shimbun reported.

Sudo had allegedly been searching for information online about drugs before her husband’s death, according to newspaper reports.

In a column Nozaki wrote for the Gendai Business website in 2018 — months before his death—he said he was “confident of becoming happy” by marrying Sudo, even though people had warned him she was probably after his money.

He said they met at Tokyo’s Haneda airport when he tripped over on purpose to get Sudo, who he said was a model, to help him.

In previous columns, Nozaki said he had started to become well known in Japan after a 2016 incident in which a 27-year-old woman he met and dated stole ¥60 million worth of cash and goods from him. — AFP https://www.malaymail.com/amp/news/world/20...impression=true

89 year lady disown 64 year old son , ah long debt

Spectreoutreach — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 16:51:15 +0800

KUALA LUMPUR: Pushed to the brink of desperation, an 89-year-old lady has announced that she is disowning her 64-year-old son after constant harassment by loan sharks over debts amounting to RM45,000.

Kong Sew Koi said that she believes her son, Chong Khee Voon, had borrowed a sum totalling RM45,000 from 15 different loan sharks since Oct 2020 to fund his gambling habit.

She said that aside from her, her grandchildren were also constantly harassed by loan sharks who recently splashed red paint at their house and in some occasions, even locked up the house to keep Kong and her family from exiting.

Kong added that there are also voice messages sent by a lady named "Evelyn Choong" threatening her grandchildren, saying that Evelyn is believed to be the loan shark whom Chong had borrowed from.

She said this at a press conference by MCA Public Services and Complaints department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong at Wisma MCA on Wednesday (April 28).

According to Chong, Kong and her son had approached him on Tuesday (April 27) in hopes of seeking his help.

"While explaining the situation to me, Kong suddenly stood up, took an umbrella and started beating her son more than 10 times," said Chong.

"I was so shocked. I managed to stop her. If I wasn't sick, I would've whacked him too," added Chong, who is currently recovering from Covid-19.

During the press conference, Kong also broke down in tears, saying that she is fearful for the well-being of her grandchildren due to the threats by these loan sharks.

"I had to beat him that day. I told him that he is an animal. I don't even have any more money for my funeral," said Kong.

Chong also said it was unbecoming that Kong's son had expected him to renegotiate the borrowing terms with the loan sharks.

"Her son asked me to speak to the 'ah longs' and tell them not to charge interest. I said no. Because I know if I had helped him, he would borrow again and the cycle repeats," he added.

Chong also said he will accompany Kong to lodge a police report over the threats issued by the loan sharks.

"I want the police to take action against these loan sharks who also threatened to kidnap her grandchildren," he added.

Meanwhile, Chong said he has received 47 similar loan shark cases, involving debts amounting to RM3.4mil.

He said that Kong's case only reflected the current grim situation in the country, where loan shark activities are becoming more rampant.

"This press conference is to let everyone know that loan sharks are becoming more rampant. Even ladies are now becoming 'ah long'," he said. In fact, this is the first time where I saw a lady beat up her own son in front of me. The umbrella nearly broke," he added.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021...an-shark-issues

Hologram advertising during traffic stop

Spectreoutreach — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 10:49:58 +0800

[twt]https://twitter.com/alvinfoo/status/1386590907760144384[/twt]

Rewer (cat) ditahan menyeludup dadah

Spectreoutreach — Sat, 24 Apr 2021 10:36:39 +0800

SINDIKET dadah sering menggunakan pelbagai cara bagi mengabur mata pihak berkuasa dalam kegiatan penyeludupan dadah.
Terbaharu pengawal penjara di Panama terpaksa menahan seekor kucing selepas didapati menyeludup masuk dadah ke Penjara Nueva Esperanza.

Menurut laporan agensi berita AFP, kucing berkenaan telah diserahkan kepada pusat perlindungan haiwan.

Pada 16 April lalu, seorang petugas penjara terlihat seekor kucing berwarna oren dan putih memasuki penjara berkenaan bersama kain kecil yang diikat pada lehernya.
Ketua Sistem Penjara Panama, Andres Gutierrez berkata, pemeriksaan pada kain putih berkenaan terdapat paket kecil yang mengandungi serbuk putih dan daun.
Pemeriksaan lanjut mendapati bahan tersebut merupakan dadah jenis kokain dan marijuana.

Penjara tersebut terletak di utara Panama City dan menempatkan lebih 1,700 banduan
Sebelum ini pengawal penjara berkenaan berjaya mengesan burung merpati yang dilatih untuk menyeludup dadah ke dalam penjara itu, lapor AFP .SINDIKET dadah sering menggunakan pelbagai cara bagi mengabur mata pihak berkuasa dalam kegiatan penyeludupan dadah.
Terbaharu pengawal penjara di Panama terpaksa menahan seekor kucing selepas didapati menyeludup masuk dadah ke Penjara Nueva Esperanza.

Menurut laporan agensi berita AFP, kucing berkenaan telah diserahkan kepada pusat perlindungan haiwan.
[Twt]https://twitter.com/ProtegeryServir/status/1383178946724904965?s=19[/twt]
https://www.astroawani.com/berita-malaysia/...impression=true

GF mother hates BF , cuz earn RM8,000 only

Spectreoutreach — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 14:38:06 +0800

It is safe to say that one of the nerve-wracking stages of a dating cycle is worrying whether your partner's parents will like you

It gets worse when you are at the stage of wanting to get married, but you are afraid that your partner's parents will not give their blessing.

In a confession post published recently, a man explained his conundrum, whereby on one end, he loves his girlfriend dearly, while on the other end, his girlfriend's mother disapproves of him

The confession post was published on the Facebook page of a local Chinese radio station called MyFM on Tuesday, 20 April.

The radio station regularly asks listeners to send in their love problems, which are then discussed on-air in a segment called MY 爱情 Love All Night, hosted by Daniel Zhen.

In the 200-word confession, the man said his girlfriend's mum thinks that he is not rich enough.

"Yes, my girlfriend's family is really rich. All the cars in her house worth over RM200,000. They have luxurious watches, clothes, and shoes, among others at home," he shared anonymously.

With that said, he admitted that his girlfriend never minded that he was not from a rich family and loves him very much

"Every time she goes out on a date with me, she doesn't wear famous brands or go to expensive restaurants because she is afraid I'll be under pressure," he related.

"However, her mother is different. She likes to ask how much I earn in front of her relatives and friends every time. She embarrasses me in various ways and tells her daughter to find a rich boyfriend every day."

He lamented that the mother's actions have made him feel inferior, made him feel that he is "not good enough for her".

The man revealed that he "only makes RM8,000 a month", which the mother claimed that it is too meagre.

A woman having more money than a man, can you understand this kind of pressure?
The anonymous confessor
The post has since gone viral with over 1,100 likes while attracting more than 800 comments

Many netizens resonated with the man's struggle.

"Uh, is it the daughter looking for someone or the mother looking for someone? Strange. And the salary of RM8,000 is quite a lot. It depends on how you spend it," commented a Facebook user.

One netizen shared their grim outlook on the man's relationship.

"It's impossible for people of different classes to stay together for life. Society is very realistic. You will understand one day. Sooner or later you will get hurt," shared the person.

Meanwhile, some netizens lamented how the man had confessed that he "only" makes RM8,000.

"I can't read on when he said 'I only make RM8,000'," a comment read, while another added, "'Only' RM8,000? Do you know that this number is already an 'astronomical number' for poor families?"

"'Only' RM8,000 is truly very little. My monthly salary is only RM1,700," a person said sarcastically.

One person even cheekily took her chances on him, saying, "Are you here to show off your salary?"

"But don't worry. Break up with her. Her mother hates you anyway. You two will not go far. Stay with me instead, my mother will not dislike you."

Her comment garnered over 1,600 likes, with many more comments cheering at her quip.https://says.com/my/fun/m-sian-claims-that-his-gf-s-mum-dislikes-him-because-he-only-makes-rm8-000-a-month

Young food delivery rider killed

Spectreoutreach — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 08:01:58 +0800

A food delivery man was killed after he was believed to have been hit by a falling tree branch following heavy rain near a petrol station in Alam Damai in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday evening.The GrabFood rider identified as Syed Izzat Izzudin, 20, died at the scene after suffering head injuries.Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department chief ACP Zulkefly Yahya said the incident occurred about 4pm, when the victim was on his way from Jalan Damai Jasa towards Taman Len Seng in Cheras.He said a fire brigade was called to cut the branch and remove the victim’s body, which was then taken to Hospital Cancelor Tuanku Muhriz, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. The autopsy will be performed today.Several areas in the capital were hit by flash floods yesterday, with scores of trees also falling due to heavy rain which began at 3.30pm.According to a spokesperson from the Cheras Fire and Rescue Station, areas affected by the fallen trees were Petronas Alam Damai, Taman Len Sen in Cheras; Jalan 4/27A Section 2 in Wangsa Maju; Jalan Pantai Murni in Pantai Dalam; Jalan Sultan Salahuddin in Kampung Padang Merbok; Jalan Melati and the MRR2 Highway in Hulu Klang.https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158056544940906&id=47298465905

RM11,000, Melaka factory worker loses to scammer

Spectreoutreach — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 17:39:00 +0800

MELAKA: A 34-year-old factory operator took years to save RM10,950 but lost it instantly to scammers.

Melaka Commercial Crime chief Supt E. Sundra Rajan said the victim from Tiang Dua here told police that he had put aside a certain sum of his monthly salary for a few years as savings for rainy days.

"The victim was emotional when lodging a police report at Tiang Dua on April 3, hoping that his money could be recovered soon," Supt Sundra said on Monday (April 5).

Supt Sundra said the victim's ordeal started on Saturday (April 3) after receiving a call supposedly from the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) in Cyberjaya.

"The victim was accused of owing the IRB arrears of RM38,600 under a company registered under his name," he said.

Supt Sundra said the victim denied owning a company and was told by the scammer that he had also a police case for drug trafficking and money laundering.

He said the call was then transferred to the so-called Pahang police when an "Inspector" told the victim to transfer whatever money he has to another bank account.

Supt Sundra said the fraudster told the victim that his savings would be returned once the investigation has been completed.

He added the victim did not receive any calls after he transferred the money to the bank account provided by the scammer.

The victim then lodged a police report and the case is being probed under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021...all-to-scammers

N.Z raises minimum wage and increases taxes,rich

Spectreoutreach — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 10:53:41 +0800

New Zealand is raising its minimum wage to $20 an hour and increasing the top tax rate for the country’s highest earners to 39%.

The changes will be rolled out on Thursday, alongside small increases to unemployment and sickness benefits. The government estimates the minimum wage increase – a rise of $1.14 per hour – will affect up to 175,500 workers, and increase wages across the economy by $216m.

The new top tax rate will apply to anyone earning more than $180,000 a year, about 2% of New Zealanders. The government estimates it will bring in an additional $550m in revenue this year.

Jacinda Ardern flags four-day working week as way to rebuild New Zealand after Covid-19
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OECD data shows that New Zealand’s previous minimum wage, as of 2019, was already among the top five highest in the world. Over the course of the Covid pandemic, many of the country’s essential workers have been minimum wage earners – including those who work at the airport and in border jobs, and are considered the frontline defence against the virus.

In 2020, unions called for an increase to the living wage, $22.10, for those on the front lines. “It’s a big deal to these workers. Part of it’s the money, part of it’s the dignity of feeling rewarded by the community for the sacrifices they’re making,” United Union national secretary John Crocker told TVNZ at the time.

Speaking about the changes this week, the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, said they fulfilled a pre-election promise and represent “real and long-overdue improvements to the support we provide our most vulnerable”.

“There is still much more to do, including building more homes, improving our health system, investing in education, training and job opportunities,” she said.

New Zealand continues to struggle with high child poverty rates and housing costs. Housing in Auckland, for example, is among the most unaffordable in the world, with house prices sitting at around 11 times average income.

The housing shortage has hit vulnerable New Zealanders particularly hard. On Tuesday, Stuff reported that waiting lists for public housing had hit a new record, with more than 22,800 households waiting for a home.

The opposition National party opposed the minimum wage increase: “Sharply increasing the minimum wage during a period of extreme uncertainty for small businesses is economic vandalism,” said its workplace relations spokesman, Scott Simpson. The ministry of business, innovation and employment had advised the government to delay the increase due to economic uncertainty caused by Covid-19.

The Ardern-led government has raised minimum wage gradually over the past four years, adding up to an increase of $4.25 an hour since 2017. Last year, Ardern made headlines for encouraging New Zealand employers to consider adopting a four-day workweek and other flexible arrangements as a way to rebuild from Covid-19.

“I hear lots of people suggesting we should have a four-day workweek,” she said at the time. “Ultimately that really sits between employers and employees. But as I’ve said there’s just so much we’ve learnt about Covid and that flexibility of people working from home, the productivity that can be driven out of that.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/...xes-on-the-rich

Social user bemused by flying car

Spectreoutreach — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 21:05:21 +0800

KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 – An accident involving a Perodua Myvi in Iskandar Puteri caught the attention of social media users for its unusual circumstances.

A video showing the aftermath of the accident revealed that the white Myvi stranded in the middle of a park had actually flown over a huge storm drain, making it to the other side.

Needless to say, jokes ensued on the Malaysian ‘King of the Road’.

[Twt]https://twitter.com/redzuanNewsMPB/status/137387701181962650[/twt]

Kalau benda pelik2 ni memang takda melibatkan model kereta lain ke? 🤣 pic.twitter.com/kJ2rXAwlhR

— MyJoe Store 🇲🇾 (@myjoe_) March 22, 2021

“Why are there no other car models involved when it comes to unusual incidents?” Twitter user MyJoe Store jokingly asked.

“Yeay, Perodua has unveiled their first flying car in the world,” said Twitter user, Cain_Yu.

The video was also shared by the Info Roadblock JPJ/Polis Facebook page, garnering over 1,000 likes and over 900 comments.

“As a Myvi owner, I’m proud to own a flying car with an affordable price, now everyone can own it too,” commented user Umil Khairil Mohd Nassan.

“Its 2021 and finally we have an affordable flying car,” commented user Amin Hudi.

“As a Myvi user, I’m proud of Perodua’s products, get well soon to the driver,” commented user NurFatihah.

Earlier this morning, the Iskandar Puteri Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) was alerted of the accident involving a Perodua Myvi in Jalan Indah at Taman Bukit Indah, Johor.

According to a Facebook post by Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia Negeri Johor, the fire and rescue department who had sent in an Operation Response Team (PKO) to the scene said that the accident involved a male driver who was stuck in the driver seat.

It was believed that the driver got stuck after the vehicle he drove skipped across a huge drain before crashing into a tree.

The driver was successfully freed and is currently receiving treatment by the Ministry of Health personnel ).https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2021/03/22/its-a-bird-its-a-plane-its-a-myvi-social-media-users-amused-by-johor-flying/1960033

Security guard dishonestly used S$200,000 Jailed

Spectreoutreach — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 21:31:44 +0800

Singapore
Security guard dishonestly used S$200,000 that was transferred to his bank accounts, gets jail
Some foreign domestic workers have borrowed from moneylenders indiscriminately.
File photo of Singapore dollars. (File photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman)
By Lydia Lam
08 Mar 2021 06:43PM
(Updated: 08 Mar 2021 06:50PM)

SINGAPORE: Out of the blue, a security officer began receiving sums of money in his bank accounts totalling about S$200,000.

Despite not knowing where the money came from and being aware that he was not entitled to receive the cash, the man failed to report the deposits to the banks or the police and used the money for his own purposes.

Muhammad Riduan Muhammad Rasyid, 34, was jailed for six months on Monday (Mar 8). He pleaded guilty to one charge of dishonest misappropriation of property, with another similar charge taken into consideration.

The court heard that Riduan was a security officer at the time of the offences in 2014 and 2015, earning S$1,300 a month. He had an OCBC bank account which he used for his savings.

Between January and June 2015, he began receiving sums of money from unknown individuals to his bank account. He did not know who the money belonged to but knew it was not his.

Instead of reporting the cash deposits to OCBC or the police, Riduan decided to use the money. He began withdrawing sums of money for his daily expenses - spending the cash on medical bills, clothes, bags, mobile phones and clubbing.

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During the six-month period, he received a total of S$71,980 in his bank account. Between October 2014 and April 2015, he received another sum of S$148,162 in his POSB account, in a charge taken into consideration.

In May 2015, the police received reports from several members of the public who said they had fallen victim to love scams. They had been directed to transfer payments and deposits into an OCBC account, but later realised they had been cheated.

The account was traced to Riduan.

The prosecutor asked for six months' jail, while the defence said Riduan is the sole breadwinner with a wife and child and a mother-in-law who has medical problems.

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The judge said Riduan knew that the money was not his and should have reported it to the bank. He should not have used the money, the judge added.

"It's not a small sum. It's over S$200,000," said District Judge Eddy Tham. He noted that no restitution was made.

The penalties for dishonest misappropriation of property are up to two years' jail, a fine, or both.

Source: CNA/ll(gs)https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/security-guard-dishonestly-used-money-transferred-bank-account-14361382?cid=FBcna

Rewer attack pilot during fly , almost crash

Spectreoutreach — Sat, 06 Mar 2021 11:27:12 +0800

TRENDING
Stowaway cat attacks pilot on passenger flight, forcing emergency landing
Pilots on a Qatar-bound flight were forced to make an emergency landing due to an unwelcome cat in the cockpit last month in what was reportedly a very hairy situation for the crew.

The Tarco Airlines flight was en route from Sudan to Qatar on Feb. 25 when a cat came out of hiding and freaked out in the cockpit about 30 minutes into the flight, Al Sudani News reports.

The high-flying feline reportedly attacked the flight crew, prompting them to head back to Khartoum Airport so they could kick the kitty out.

It’s unclear exactly how the stowaway got into the cockpit in the first place. However, a source told Al Sudani News that it likely happened when the aircraft was in the hangar for cleaning and maintenance before the flight.

The paper did not say what happened to the cat afterward.

A similar episode happened on an Air Canada flight in 2012. A cat escaped from its carrier and reached the cockpit just before takeoff, forcing the pilots to delay their trip by several hours.https://globalnews.ca/news/7679152/cat-stowaway-flight-plane/?utm_medium=Facebook&utm_source=GlobalNews

Anal swap compulsory for foreigners going to China

Spectreoutreach — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 14:18:46 +0800

China has made anal COVID-19 swabs mandatory for all foreign travelers arriving in the country, a report said Wednesday.

The government has claimed that such tests provides a higher degree of accuracy than other screening methods for the virus, the Times UK reported.

As part of the new travel requirement, there will be testing hubs in Beijing and Shanghai airports, the outlet reported.

Li Tongzeng, a respiratory disease medic, said that the anal swabs are better because virus traces stay longer in fecal samples than they do in the nose or throat, state media reported.

The move comes after Japan asked China to stop performing the exams on their citizens when they enter the country because the swabs cause mental anguish.

“Some Japanese reported to our embassy in China that they received anal swab tests, which caused a great psychological pain,” Katsunobu Kato, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, told a news conference.

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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, however, defended the screenings as “science-based”

The tests are “in accordance with the changes in the epidemic situation as well as relevant laws and regulations,” he said.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/202...foreigners/amp/

SG deploy unmanned maritime security ships

Spectreoutreach — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 15:17:25 +0800

SINGAPORE: The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) could deploy four unmanned surface vessels (USV) for maritime security by the end of this year, depending on the progress of final sea trials.

Once operational, the USVs will conduct round-the-clock patrols, investigate, as well as intercept suspicious vessels in Singapore waters. They are equipped with long-range loudhailers, strobe and search lights, as well as a 12.7mm gun.

They also come with advanced navigation and anti-collision systems to avoid obstacles and move fully autonomously in the congested waters of the Singapore Strait. The USV is not limited by a communications range, meaning it can technically be operated from anywhere.

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said in a factsheet on Monday (Mar 1) that two crew members will operate a USV from shore, with a “user-centric” mission control system to quickly plan and execute patrol profiles, track vessels of interest and warn or query vessels.

READ: Defence budget up this year, as MINDEF spent less than planned in 2020 due to delayed projects: Ng Eng Hen
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This comes as the RSN looks to tackle evolving threats like maritime terrorism and piracy, and operate with leaner manpower amid a shrinking pool of national servicemen. Unmanned vessels also allow the potentially dangerous missions at sea to be conducted more safely.

MINDEF first announced the new USVs in 2018, stating then that they would allow larger, manned warships like the littoral mission vessels (LMV) to be deployed more strategically for other missions and at further ranges from Singapore.

The RSN already operates several unmanned vessels, including a similarly designed USV for clearing mines and a smaller USV for maritime surveillance and to protect larger warships. The latter USV is not fully autonomous as it is remotely controlled.

The RSN has acquired four of the new USVs for sea trials that are expected to be completed by the end of this year, said USV Squadron commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Desmond Ng in a media showcase at Changi Naval Base on Feb 24.

These unmanned trials will involve integrating systems and testing operational concepts, like how the USVs will investigate or chase suspicious vessels. If things go to plan, they could be deployed in actual operations by the end of the year or early next year, LTC Ng said.

As for whether the RSN could get more USVs in the future, LTC Ng did not want to comment, saying: “We are still going through the operationalisation process.”

HOW WILL THE USVs BE USED?

The USVs are expected to work alongside manned vessels to “enhance the RSN’s ability to monitor and respond to situations at sea”, MINDEF said. They could also be deployed with the RSN’s newly inaugurated maritime security and response vessels.

LTC Ng said there will always be a USV on patrol rotation, given that each vessel can stay out at sea for up to 36 hours. “I will always have a USV on the strait, as compared to an LMV which may not always be there 24/7,” he said.

When it comes to operations, LTC Ng said USVs can act as first responders in security incidents at sea – like when a ship is hijacked by robbers – and reduce the number of manned ships required to go on scene.

Crew members operating the USV will conduct surveillance and detection visually, using electro-optical cameras on board the vessel.

One crew member will focus on mission planning, like plotting patrol paths, while the other will control the USV’s payloads, such as its cameras and gun. Moving the USV is as easy as clicking on a screen.

MINDEF said future USV teams, consisting of operators and maintenance crew, will mainly comprise full-time and operationally ready national servicemen, with a “small complement” of regulars. RSN’s unmanned systems are usually operated by regulars.

USV personnel will be trained similarly to their counterparts on manned ships and learn basic seamanship, but without certain manned aspects like firefighting and replenishment operations, LTC Ng said.

navy unmanned maritime security ship sensors
Radars, sensors and cameras on the USV that help it navigate and avoid collisions autonomously. (Photo: Marcus Mark Ramos)

This means it will take 20 per cent less time to train a full-time national serviceman (NSF) USV operator, compared to an NSF working on a manned ship.

“For the USV craft operation ... it is relatively smaller and easier to control,” he added. “The main thing is to let them understand how the algorithm (for autonomous operations) is designed and how it will react in different scenarios. So if there’s any anomaly, they can detect it early.”

READ: SAF to review PES medical classification system, paving the way for servicemen to be deployed in more roles
ANTI-COLLISION SYSTEM

This algorithm, which is used in the USV’s collision detection and collision avoidance (CDCA) system, is perhaps what makes the vessel rather special.

The CDCA system, developed over a decade by the Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA) and DSO National Laboratories, enables the vessel to safely navigate the busy Singapore Strait, where 1,000 ships sail through every day.

navy unmanned maritime security ship side view
The Navy could operationally deploy four USVs by the end of 2021. (Photo: Marcus Mark Ramos)

The system uses on-board cameras and radars to ensure that the USV automatically detects and avoids obstacles at sea, like buoys, beacons and other ships. The USV will then correct its path to resume its planned route.

The system is also programmed to obey “traffic laws” at sea, like which direction to turn when avoiding obstacles, and integrates maritime navigation tools like charts, automatic identification systems and a differential global positioning system.

Given how crucial and complex the system is, DSTA and DSO made sure it could work.

Researchers spent nine months running millions of kilometres of lab simulations using actual Singapore marine traffic data to ensure that the USV can go collision-free, and another nine months testing it out at sea with safety crew on board.

DSO principal defence researcher Bay Zi Jing said USV algorithms are usually tested in less congested waters and have not been validated in Singapore waters.

“The uniqueness is we actually adjusted the algorithm until it can work in the Singapore Strait,” he said. “So this is something that we can’t just pluck off the shelf.”

As with anything that is controlled remotely, the USV could be susceptible to cyber threats, and a DSTA official said “extra effort” was put in to beef up its cybersecurity.

“We equip the USV with advanced cybersecurity protection measures such as encryption and other stuff we cannot share, configured based on our operational mission,” DSTA senior engineer Tan Shu Jun said.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singap...06964?cid=FBcna

doctor loses RM72,000 to scammer

Spectreoutreach — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 12:00:30 +0800

CRIME & COURTS
Melaka doctor loses RM72,000 after responding to Facebook money lending ad
By Bernama
February 27, 2021 @ 9:59am

It is learnt that the doctor, who works at one of Melaka’s hospitals, was instructed to make payments for stamp duty to enable him to secure the loan. - NSTP file pic
MELAKA: Lured by a money lending advertisement on Facebook, a doctor suffered losses amounting to RM72,165.74 after being duped.

After responding to the advertisement, the 30-year-old victim is believed to have dealt with the suspect via phone calls, and agreed to apply for a loan of RM200,000.

It is learnt that the doctor, who works at one of Melaka's hospitals, was instructed to make payments for stamp duty to enable him to secure the loan.

"Trusting the suspect, the victim made seven payment transactions in stages, amounting to RM72,165.74, into three different bank accounts given by the suspect.

"Despite the transactions, the suspect still asked for more money from the victim, but the doctor did not proceed and until now, has not received the loan as promised," Head of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK) Melaka Contingent Police Headquarters (IPK) Superintendent E Sundra Rajan said in a statement.

Sundra Rajan said the victim lodged a report at the Melaka Tengah Police Station on Feb 25, and the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

He said a check on the website http://ccid.rmp.gov.my/semakmule found that the number used by the suspect was involved in nine other cases using the same modus operandi.

The police advise the public to apply for loans through licensed financial institutions and to always be vigilant by checking details on the website http://ccid.rmp.gov.my/semakmule/ or by downloading the application 'Check CCID Scammers' on Google Playstore. - BERNAMA- https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/20...k-money-lending