Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by hydragyrum

AIDS merbahaya, AEDES pulak....

hydragyrum — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 21:43:49 +0800

Dikir Barat Hitam Manis - AIDS & AEDES

[YOUTUBE]vQhPsezHS64[/YOUTUBE]

Should You Take a Personal Loan to clear CC Debt?

hydragyrum — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 09:00:02 +0800

Should You Take a Personal Loan — to Clear Credit Card Debt?

[YOUTUBE]oDU8IzQzh2k[/YOUTUBE]

Your credit cards charge 18%. The bank offers a personal loan at 4.38%. Easy decision, right?

Not quite. This video covers the three questions to ask before consolidating your credit card debt: why the advertised rate usually isn't the real one, how a longer tenure quietly triples what you pay, and what has to happen to your cards afterwards. Plus the rule change coming in January 2027, and the free option from Bank Negara that no bank will ever mention.

CJ Bio Malaysia, Kerteh - shutting down

hydragyrum — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:00:14 +0800

https://cjbio.net/en/

Company Overview & Operations
• Parent Company: Joint venture primarily led by South Korea's CJ CheilJedang Corporation alongside the Arkema Group.
• Core Specialty: World's first and only commercial-scale producer of eco-friendly bio-methionine and advanced animal feed amino acids using microbial fermentation.
• Plant Location: Lot Q, Kerteh Biopolymer Park, Phase 2, 24300 Kerteh, Terengganu, Malaysia.
• Contact Number: +60 9-830 2414

Before bossku, there was Abdullah Ang

hydragyrum — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 16:46:11 +0800

AI Overview

In 1989, the Malay Mail exposed a massive scandal revealing that imprisoned tycoon Abdullah Ang was living in luxury and roaming free outside Kajang Prison.

The 1989 Exposé

• The Prisoner: Abdullah Ang was the former chief executive of the Malaysian Overseas Investment Corporation (MOIC), serving an eight-year sentence for criminal breach of trust (CBT).

• Luxury Cell: The Malay Mail uncovered that his prison cell was fully carpeted and equipped with a refrigerator, a video player, and a waterbed.

• Roaming Free: Instead of serving his time at a prison-run orchid farm in Mantin, Negeri Sembilan, Abdullah was photographed and tracked running his family business and moving about freely in Kuala Lumpur.

• Intimidation: Former editor Salehuddin Othman faced a RM100,000 bribe offer and death threats involving a firearm to stop the newspaper from publishing the story.

Aftermath and Impact

• Investigation: A special Home Ministry panel investigated the matter and blamed severe systemic weaknesses within the Prisons Department.

• Reforms: Then-Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad ordered an immediate shake-up of the department, leading to leadership changes and a structural overhaul.

MY Chinese businesses distancing from Beijing

hydragyrum — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:59:48 +0800

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/internatio...ijing?flyingspaghettimonster=pulse

Once staunchly pro-China, Malaysian Chinese businesses are now distancing themselves from Beijing
China remains Malaysia’s key economic partner, but its businesses are increasingly becoming formidable local competitors.

SUMMARY:-

Malaysian Chinese businesses, once strongly pro-China, are increasingly wary of Chinese companies as competitors due to China's ability to flood markets with ultra-low-priced goods and leverage advanced technology and distribution networks.

Economic self-interest is reshaping geopolitical attitudes within the Malaysian Chinese community, with some business leaders now supporting protectionist measures like those of former US President Trump to counterbalance trade deficits with China.

Despite rising tensions, Malaysian businesses remain economically intertwined with China, finding competitive edges through trust, local knowledge, after-sales service, and niche certifications such as halal, while China’s domestic overcapacity poses ongoing challenges for sustaining goodwill in Southeast Asia.

FULL ARTICLE:-

Standing in the fruit section of a local supermarket the other day, I found myself staring at two 500g boxes of grapes: Chinese Shine Muscats priced at RM6.99 (S$2.20) and Australian Crimson seedless grapes at RM12.99.

As a consumer, I was delighted that Shine Muscats – originally a prime Japanese variety – had been slashed to budget prices. The Malaysian Chinese business community, however, has been far less enthusiastic about the influx of Chinese goods and China’s ability to turn once-premium goods into cheap commodities.

That anxiety is part of a larger paradox. The Malaysian Chinese business community remains economically and culturally connected to China. Yet, some of the businesses that once saw China as an economic opportunity and an admirable major power now increasingly see Chinese companies as competitors with an unfair advantage eating into their market share. A wariness of China’s overcapacity is taking root.

This is not a wholesale turn away from Beijing but a development far more complicated and nuanced – a growing recognition of China’s economic rise as both an opportunity and a threat.

That tension is visible in public opinion polls. Almost seven in 10 Malaysians polled in the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute’s State of Southeast Asia 2026 survey would choose China if forced to align with either Beijing or Washington.

Yet, among Malaysian residents who believed bilateral relations had deteriorated, 20.1% said China should address trade imbalances and make bilateral trade mutually beneficial, up from 16.7% in 2025.

Even Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim raised these concerns over the impact of hyper-competitive Chinese business practices at the highest level with Premier Li Qiang on Sept 24 during his visit to Shanghai.

The takeaway? The choice for many Malaysians isn’t between China and America, but which external relationship provides better economic opportunities for Malaysian businesses and workers.

A second lesson here is also that any longstanding affinity felt by the Malaysian Chinese community does not necessarily translate into a free pass for Chinese businesses when pocketbooks are hurt.

From pro-Beijing to pro-Trump

For decades, Malaysian Chinese businesses benefited from China’s rise. As Malaysia’s largest trading partner, China was a source of low-cost manufactured goods, machinery and components. Its huge consumer market also offered opportunities for Malaysian exporters – in fuel, palm oil and tropical fruits like durian.

The trade relationship felt almost complementary: China made cheap products at scale and Malaysian businesses sold, distributed or serviced those locally. Yet, that dynamic is shifting.

A November 2025 survey by the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia showed that a third of their 245 respondents said their businesses were impacted by competition from ultra-low-priced Chinese goods.

Apart from price competition, the problem is that Chinese manufacturers increasingly have the technology, platforms and distribution networks to move down the value chain and compete directly with Malaysian businesses that once acted as intermediaries.

Corporate gift bag-maker Liew Bin, 67, has experienced this change first-hand. Sourcing bags from Xiamen in China, based on his own designs since the 1990s, he discovered that one of his former suppliers had entered Malaysia and begun competing directly for his customers in 2023.

“He penetrated my sales network as post-pandemic online sales plummeted after the reopening,” he told me at his two-storey shoplot in Puchong, a light-industrial suburb 22km south-west of Kuala Lumpur.

Liew’s annual sales have dropped to a few million ringgit, and he’s had to cut his workforce to just 10 staff. In the 2000s, just as China entered the World Trade Organization, sales were in the tens of millions of ringgit and he had employed 50 people.

Such economic realities have turned Liew – once a strong supporter of Beijing – into a sceptic who sees value in US President Donald Trump’s protectionist measures.

“I was proud of the rise of China and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, hoping it would replace Western power one day,” he said, adding that he’s even publicly criticised the US bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade in 1999.

“Now, I back Trump’s tariff policy. Malaysia may have hundreds of billions of ringgit in trade with China, but we run a massive deficit. While we criticise US hegemony and remain pro-China, Washington actually gives us business through a trade surplus,” said Liew, who is also president of the 600-member Malaysia Retail Chain Association.

In 2025, Malaysia recorded a trade deficit of RM163.4 billion with China, compared with a net trade surplus of RM101.5 billion with the US.

While it is unclear how much Liew’s change in outlook is representative of the Malaysian Chinese business community’s views, his mindset nonetheless underscores how economic self-interest can seep into geopolitical attitudes.

No more red carpet

Still, the shift is undoubtedly visible. Another sign: The Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce’s pushback against the then proposed extension of the visa-free scheme for Chinese visitors – citing fears of unfair local competition.

This made front-page news in Sin Chew Daily in May 2025 and marked a rare note of criticism for Malaysia’s largest Chinese-language newspaper.

It’s a sharp reversal from the positive atmosphere surrounding Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first visit to Malaysia in 2013. At that time, the Malaysia-China Business Council (MCBC) rolled out the red carpet. Kam De Zheng, 45, a staff member of the MCBC at the time, recalled the excitement.

“You could not get a seat at the luncheon, no matter how rich you were. Only selected heavyweight business leaders were invited,” Kam told me.

“China was seen as an economic powerhouse with an insatiable demand for foreign goods. Earning renminbi was the main focus. There was hardly a single negative word spoken about China.”

Today, however, the mood has changed as Malaysian businesses worry about getting squeezed by China’s rise.

Tensions are rising over claims that Chinese visitors are abusing Malaysia’s 30-day visa-free policy to work illegally in photography, diving and construction. The authorities detained 78 Chinese nationals in July for suspected visa violations while holding social visit passes.

“We need to make sure our local businesses can continue to grow and compete,” Kam said.

“We must remain part of the procurement chain.”

Fighting back and competing better

All these do not mean that Malaysian businesses are powerless.

Many successful firms that have beaten back the tide are competing on factors Chinese suppliers operating overseas or selling via platforms like Pinduoduo and Temu cannot easily provide: trust, local knowledge and after-sales service.

Penang-based Chinese prayer materials retailer Lee Chuan Wei, for example, now offers same-day delivery on orders over RM100.

For Malaysian businesses, such services make the sum difference precisely because the cheapest online price does not necessarily offer the lowest total cost. A customer may pay more for a local supplier that can deliver immediately, adhere to local regulations or resolve a defect – factors that stand out in highly regulated sectors.

Halal certification, for example, may provide local food manufacturers a significant advantage in the food manufacturing sector.

“It’s a form of state protection for Malaysian food manufacturers. Without halal certification, mainland competitors can only reach ethnic Chinese consumers – just 22% of the population,” said Hong Chee Meng, president of the Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Associations of Malaysia. Muslims constitute 63.5% of Malaysia’s population.

Even so, there are no permanently impenetrable barriers. Chinese firms can obtain halal certification too, with many already participating in the global halal market.

Lee Heng Guie, executive director of the Socio-Economic Research Centre, offers a counter-perspective. He argued that Malaysian small and medium-sized enterprises should not see Chinese goods as threats but a source of productivity gains.

Chinese manufacturers produce machinery designed for smaller firms. Such products enable Malaysian companies with smaller balance sheets to modernise affordably without the capital costs associated with equipment from advanced nations.

“China’s automation and machinery equipment generally costs 30% to 50% less than equivalent equipment from Germany or Japan.”

A 30,000kg Chinese crane costs RM600,000 – less than half the price of its Japanese counterpart, which sells for RM1.3 million, a Malaysian machinery dealer who goes by Lim told me.

“Their performance and reliability are nearly catching up,” he said, adding that he sells 10 to 20 units of a particular Chinese model annually, compared with a peer’s two Japanese cranes.

The complexities of the intertwining of China and Malaysia’s economies mean bilateral economic relations are unlikely to become a simple story of Malaysian businesses turning away from China. If anything, trade between both sides is growing, up in the first six months of 2026 by about 30% year-on-year.

Standing in that supermarket, I found myself caught in that same love-hate contradiction.

I may have opted for Australian Crimson grapes over Chinese Shine Muscats that afternoon. But as this haze season worsens, I know I will not hesitate to buy a budget-friendly, reliable Xiaomi air purifier.

Malaysians want the benefits of trade with China – cheaper inputs, products and tourists boosting the Malaysian economy. Yet, they cannot run away from the stiffer competition posed by Chinese companies reaching their consumers directly and must find ways to differentiate themselves.

Yet, the concerns expressed by the Chinese Malaysian business community are also notable for China.

If Beijing hopes to sustain goodwill in South-east Asia, it needs to tackle the domestic overcapacity fuelling these tensions. Failing to do so risks alienating local business communities – traditionally one of China’s friendliest blocs in the region – and pushing them further away from Beijing. THE STRAITS TIMES

HSBC informs > 100 staff of Accenture 'transfer'

hydragyrum — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:15:25 +0800

https://www.scoop.my/news/299319/cost-cutti...nture-transfer/

Cost-cutting measure? HSBC tells more than 100 staffers in Malaysia of Accenture ‘transfer’

Employees reportedly assured they will have jobs with the global professional services and technology firm as HSBC shifts some backend operations

KUALA LUMPUR – A sizable number of HSBC employees in Malaysia have been told they will be transferred to Accenture, the global professional services and technology company, as the banking group moves to reshape parts of its local operations, Scoop understands.

The development was communicated to staff during a town hall meeting this week, with management assuring employees that “they will all have a place” under the new arrangement.

Scoop understands that discussions on salaries and remuneration packages are already under way, although the number of employees affected by the proposed transfer remains unclear.

HSBC has about 6,000 employees in Malaysia, with a significant portion working in backend operations and shared services, including through HSBC Electronic Data Processing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (HDPM).

‘Proposed transfer’

The proposed transfer has left some employees uncertain about their future, particularly those who have spent many years with HSBC.

One employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the announcement as “surprising”.

“We had heard whispers about retrenchments earlier this year, but no one expected a wholesale transfer. For many of us who have been with HSBC for many years, it’s hard to imagine starting over in unfamiliar territory.”

Another employee said the issue went beyond continued employment, pointing to the attachment workers had developed to the bank over the years.

“It’s not just about having a job. It’s about identity, loyalty, and the years we’ve invested here. Moving to Accenture might secure employment, but it doesn’t erase the sense of loss.”

It remains unclear whether affected employees will have the option of declining the transfer and remaining with HSBC, or whether they will be required to move to Accenture.

The terms of the proposed transition, including salaries, benefits and other employment conditions, are expected to become clearer as discussions continue.

HSBC and Accenture had yet to issue a media statement on the matter at the time of publication.

Cost-cutting exercise?

A staff member familiar with the matter indicated that the move could be viewed as a cost-cutting exercise rather than a response to financial difficulties at HSBC.

“This exercise is a cost cutting measure not that HSBC is struggling financially which means it’s more like saving more money than staying afloat,” the staffer indicated.

Globally, HSBC Holdings plc reported net income of US$24.88 billion (RM101.26 billion) for the 12 months ended June 30, 2026.

The group also launched a US$1 billion (RM4.07 billion) share buyback programme alongside its first-half results and maintained its interim dividend at US$0.10 (RM0.41) per share.

Possible regional implications

The reported Malaysian transition comes amid changes to HSBC’s workforce and operating model across Asia-Pacific.

Scoop understands that similar workforce transitions involving outsourced or externally managed functions are also being considered in other markets, including Singapore, India, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines.

HSBC operates service centres and other support functions across the region, meaning changes to non-client-facing work could affect employees in multiple markets.

Bloomberg reported in March that HSBC was considering up to 20,000 job cuts globally over several years as part of an AI-driven overhaul, with non-client-facing roles in service centres among those expected to be affected.

The report said the plans were still at an early stage, and the potential reduction could involve a combination of automation, consolidation, outsourcing and other changes rather than retrenchments alone.

HSBC cuts Hong Kong staff perks

Meanwhile, HSBC is reducing several staff benefits in Hong Kong.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that the bank is ending a subsidy covering half the cost of joining certain Hong Kong members’ clubs for mid-level bankers after Dec 31. The benefit was worth as much as HK$200,000 (about US$25,500 or RM103,973).

The bank is also changing education benefits and insurance coverage.

A long-standing education benefit covering as much as 95% of school fees for children of certain senior employees and new hires has been scrapped, while new employees joining HSBC Hong Kong and Hang Seng Bank from 2027 will receive a different level of life assurance coverage from existing staff.

HSBC said the changes are part of efforts to align benefits between the two banks while continuing to offer competitive remuneration packages. – September 26, 2026

Garibaldi Aircraft Carrier Arrives in Indonesia

hydragyrum — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 18:31:15 +0800

The aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi is expected to arrive in Indonesia today, Thursday, September 17, 2026.

The aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi will then be renamed and flagged before participating in a naval parade or sailing pass in the waters of Jakarta Bay on October 4, 2026.

This event is part of a series of events commemorating the 81st anniversary of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), and the President of the Republic of Indonesia is scheduled to attend.

[YOUTUBE]MqdzlOj7sj4[/YOUTUBE]

Harland - Coming soon to MY - Winter 2026

hydragyrum — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 12:20:27 +0800

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/harlandmedic...5376527360-mLsZ

Harland Medical Systems

Coming soon to Malaysia!

Harland is proud to announce its newest site in Penang, Malaysia, expected to open before the end of 2026.

The facility sits in the heart of a booming medical device manufacturing hub, with a dense base of global device makers and certified suppliers. It is intended to support regional manufacturers with coating processes and equipment support.

This opening extends Harland’s international footprint, which already includes operations in the United States, Ireland, Israel, India, and Costa Rica.

More information available soon.

Malaysia's Sep 11th, 2021 - 592 deaths

hydragyrum — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 19:15:54 +0800

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/202...g-cases/2004872

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 100 Covid-19 deaths yesterday alone, with 492 backlog cases which were unreported prior.

The 592 cases were reported via the new COVIDNOW system launched recently, in a bid to present accessible granular data on Covid-19 to the public.

“In an effort to ensure transparent reporting, the MOH is currently in the process of clearing the outstanding data and daily case data is expected to be higher in a few days.

“The MOH, among others, will update the death and discharge data according to the actual date of death and discharge compared to the previous reporting date,” the MOH said.

Speaker appeared to Doze Off in Parliament

hydragyrum — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 23:37:44 +0800

On 9 September 2026, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng appeared to doze off after Dennis Tan delivered his speech on the Health Sciences Authority (Amendment) and Other Matters Bill.

A parliamentary staff member was seen waking him before he called on the next Member of Parliament, Yip Hon Weng, to speak.

[YOUTUBE]iBVqHb-VaUI[/YOUTUBE]

PM salary increase from S$2.2 to S$3.6 million

hydragyrum — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 15:49:32 +0800

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/m...ce-wong-6368681

FAST SUMMARY

This is the first time that ministerial salaries have changed since 2011.
A committee had recommended that the benchmark salary for a minister at the lowest grade to be raised from S$1.1 million to S$1.8 million.
The new salaries will take effect from Oct 15 this year.

Full article => https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/m...ce-wong-6368681

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s political office holders will receive a salary increase of up to 9 per cent, taking the sum to about S$1.2 million annually for a minister in the lowest MR4 grade, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced on Tuesday (Sep 8).

Speaking in parliament, Mr Wong, who is also finance minister, said the changes will kick in from Oct 15 this year, after the government accepted the recommendations by an independent review committee that was appointed in December last year.

It is the first time since 2011 that ministerial salaries have been changed.

Mr Wong was delivering the government’s response to the committee’s recommendations for the benchmark salary for a minister at the MR4 grade – the lowest of four tiers – to be raised from the current reference salary of S$1.1 million to S$1.8 million.

The committee also recommended changes to other political salaries and to the allowances of members of parliament and other parliamentarians.

Adjustments to the salaries of the president, parliamentary speaker and deputy speakers will also take effect from the same date, said Mr Wong.

“We will not move immediately to the new salary benchmarks. Instead, we will make a one-off adjustment now of up to 9 per cent for political office holders,” said Mr Wong.

“I say ‘up to’ because the same increase will not automatically apply to everyone. The adjustment for each officeholder will depend on individual circumstances, including performance and when his or her salary was last adjusted.”

Mr Wong explained that for an MR4 minister earning the current reference salary of S$1.1 million, the full 9 per cent adjustment would bring the amount to about S$1.2 million.

There would be no further special adjustments to close the gap to S$1.8 million thereafter, said Mr Wong.

Instead, any subsequent changes will be based on individual performance and responsibilities, he noted.

The estimated expenditure on manpower for political appointments in the 2026 financial year is S$53,365,000, according to a document published on the Budget 2026 website.

Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing said the committee's recommendations will cost the government around S$5 million more per year if the maximum of 9 per cent is applied to all political appointment holders.

The adjustments for Members of Parliament will cost S$6.6 million more annually, he said.

MINISTERS’ WAGE PACKAGE
There are currently four ministerial grades – MR4, MR3, MR2 and MR1 – with a range of salary points within each grade which determine a minister’s fixed pay, said Mr Wong.

Going forward, the MR2 and MR3 grades will be merged into a single grade.

“As PM, I decide the grade of each minister; where each minister is positioned within the salary range for that grade; and the individual performance bonus each year,” he said.

A total of 10 out of the 16 ministers are currently at MR4.

The other six are at higher grades, reflecting their seniority and heavier responsibilities, including those serving as coordinating ministers.

The three coordinating ministers are Defence Minister, Mr Chan, who oversees public services, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung who oversees social policies, and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam who helms national security. The two senior ministers in Cabinet are Mr Shanmugam and former prime minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Over time, ministers can move to different salary points within their grade based on their performance, said Mr Wong.

“They may begin at the lower end of the salary range. Those who perform well may move to a higher point within the range. Some ministers may also be promoted to a higher grade as they take on greater responsibilities,” he said.

There are also variable components which make up more than one-third of a minister’s annual remuneration, he said.

For instance, a national bonus applies to all office holders, based on the outcomes specified in the framework.

An individual performance bonus also depends on the prime minister’s assessment of each office holder’s performance. Last year, it ranged from three to six months, said Mr Wong.

“So when we refer to the current MR4 reference salary of S$1.1 million, this is an all-in reference figure. It includes fixed pay together with assumed levels of performance and bonus payouts,” Mr Wong said.

“The actual remuneration received by an individual minister in any year can therefore be higher or lower than the reference salary, depending on his or her salary point and the variable payouts.”

Mr Chan also said the government accepted the committee’s recommendations to retain the existing approach for statutory appointment holders, with clear and established pegs to the political salary framework.

The president’s monthly salary will continue to be pegged to the prime minister’s monthly salary, while the speaker of parliament’s salary will be pegged at 50 per cent of the MR4 minister reference salary.

The deputy speaker’s annual package will continue to be pegged at 15 per cent of the speaker’s salary.

The government will also study a recommendation from the committee to study the salary pegs for the speaker and deputy speakers, taking into account how their roles and responsibilities may have evolved over time, said Mr Chan.

In particular, the committee recommended that the government consider whether their package might be better aligned with the formulation for the president’s monthly salary.

PM DONATES SALARY INCREASE TO CHARITY
In his speech, Mr Wong said that the prime minister’s salary is set at twice the MR4 benchmark.

“I have decided that, for the next five years – assuming I remain PM – I will donate the full increase in my salary arising from this adjustment,” he said.

He will continue to receive his salary as provided for under the framework, and will then “donate the increase to suitable good causes”, said Mr Wong.

“This is my own decision. I do not expect other office holders to do the same. As a general rule, I do not believe in making a public show of charitable giving.”

Mr Wong said that, as prime minister, he carries the “ultimate responsibility” for the salary framework, and so “it is right that Singaporeans should know what I have decided, and that I am taking these changes forward because I believe they are in Singapore’s interests”.

He will review the position again at the end of five years, taking into account the circumstances at that time.

“I fully expect to continue supporting good causes, as I have always done. But I do not want to make an open-ended public commitment, or to create an expectation that future prime ministers may feel obliged to follow,” he added.

Sheikh Haikel reveals he has stage 4 colon cancer

hydragyrum — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 19:27:47 +0800

https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/en...-stage-4-588546

Singaporean rapper and businessman Sheikh Haikel has revealed that he has stage 4 colon cancer.

[tiktok]7681547367119686932[/tiktok]

The 50-year-old public figure, who co-owns chicken rice restaurant Hai Ge Ji with his wife, Anna Belle Francis, told CNA Lifestyle on Friday (Sep 4) that he was diagnosed more than a year ago. The diagnosis had been kept within the family as they did not want to worry others.

"We didn't want to announce it to make others worry," Sheikh said. "But now that the cancer has spread aggressively to my liver, I think it's appropriate for people to know."

Sheikh said the past year has been difficult, but he remains determined to continue with his life and work.

"It has been tough but there are good days and bad days," he said. "I believe in God's plans and that He knows best. I will strive to be strong and keep going."

The couple also shared the news on Instagram on Friday, writing in the caption: "If I meet you and we say hi, let me give you the FINAL APPLAUSE to say thank you."

They included the hashtags #sheikhhaikelstage4 and #FINALAPPLAUSE, the latter of which refers to the name of an upcoming podcast he's launching where he will speak about his experience with the disease.

"I feel I have done it all in front of all of you," said Sheikh in the video, referencing his personal and professional achievements. "It's only fair that I share this part of my life with you."

Battling tears, he said: "With the heaviest of hearts, I would like to say and tell everyone who is watching this that I have fourth-stage cancer – and I will be alright."

The rapper shared that he had to lie to friends who had asked him if he was alright, and that he had asked his wife to omit the truth as well.

"I would also like to take this chance to apologise on behalf of my wife, Anna Belle Francis, who only followed what I asked her to do," he said.

The father of three children – Triqka, Abbra and Juz – added: "I would like everybody to know that I am gonna give it my best shot, and the fact that I've shared this with everybody has made me feel better."

"Again, I ain't going nowhere anytime soon. I love you, Belle, Triqka, Abbra, and Juz. Thank you for everything, everyone."

Well wishes have poured in from fans and public figures, including local celebrities Norfasarie Mohamed Yahya and Fauzie Laily, and entrepreneur Fatimah Mohsin.

Stand-up comedian Fakkah Fuzz wrote: "Sending you all the strength and love, big homie. Please know that you have spread nothing but love to us and inspired us to pursue our dreams."

East Coast GRC MP Hazlina Abdul Halim also wrote: "Haikel, all of my duas (prayers), Singapore's son, on this blessed Jumaat (Friday). May Allah ease, and fill with love and light. Here when you need."

Sheikh and Francis recently relocated their Hai Ge Ji outlet from North Bridge Road to Bussorah Street.

The couple said they are happy to continue meeting customers and friends at the new outlet and remain determined to keep the business going.

Source: CNA/iz

USS Abraham Lincoln carrier arrives in Thailand

hydragyrum — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 11:28:40 +0800

LIVE: USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier arrives in Thailand

Watch live as the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier arrives in eastern Thailand after a grueling deployment in the Middle East, where it supported the U.S. war against Iran.
Read more: https://bit.ly/4iHfRCz

[YOUTUBE]lq3bIkWZ76g[/YOUTUBE]

'Religious influencer' gets jail and caning

hydragyrum — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 21:18:43 +0800

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/r...-caning-6323246

'Religious influencer' gets jail and caning for raping boy and molesting his brother

SUMMARY:-

A 37-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to 27 years and 10 months’ jail and 24 strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to raping a young boy and molesting his older brother and another victim.

The man gained the brothers’ trust by becoming a father figure and religious guide, but raped the younger boy at least 10 times and later molested his older brother.

The abuse had a severe psychological impact on both brothers, who developed suicidal thoughts and difficulty trusting others, while their once-close relationship deteriorated.

FULL STORY

SINGAPORE: A self-styled religious mentor, who is not an accredited religious teacher, took two young boys from a broken family into his fold, but raped the younger one at least 10 times and molested the older one.

It left the boys, then aged six to eight and 11 to 12, suicidal and made the close brothers drift apart.

The 37-year-old Singaporean man, who was married at the time of the offences, was sentenced on Monday (Aug 17) to 27 years and 10 months' jail and 24 strokes of the cane.

He was diagnosed with paedophilic disorder, a psychiatric condition involving persistent sexual urges or fantasies involving prepubescent children. However, this had no contributing link to the offences, the court heard.

The man cannot be named due to gag orders protecting the victims' identities.

He pleaded guilty to three charges of rape and two counts of molestation, with 12 charges taken into consideration.

THE CASE

The court heard that the man was never recognised as an Islamic or Quranic teacher under the Administration of Muslim Law at all times. He was described as a "religious influencer" in court documents.

Before he hit on the two brothers, he had targeted another victim, who was 17 at the time. The pair met through mutual friends and became close after spending time together at a mosque and texting each other almost daily.

The offender acted as a big brother and religious mentor to the first victim.

However, during dinner at a restaurant in December 2021, the offender molested the victim during the meal, telling him "don't worry" and that it was "not painful".

The victim reported the case to the police that same month, and the offender was arrested and released on police bail.

Despite this, he went on to prey on the two young brothers. Their parents had divorced and they were under the care of their mother, but she was admitted to a drug rehabilitation centre.

The boys stayed with their grandmother between October 2021 and October 2023.

In April 2022, at an unnamed mosque, the older brother chanced upon the offender and recognised him from social media.

The boy was around nine to 10 years old when he introduced himself to the offender, and they later spent time together and grew close.

The offender would take the boy to play football with his friends, and also to his home.

As the boy grew closer to the offender, he confided in the older man about his family and how his father had abandoned them.

The boy told his grandmother about the offender and she invited the man over so that she could assess him in person. She found him to be very religious.

The man regularly put up social media videos mainly touching on religion, and the grandmother saw the online posts for herself.

After learning that he was also a childhood friend of her sons, she came to trust him.

The man grew even closer to the boy and took him to school daily.

He began visiting the victim's grandmother's flat, occasionally taking his wife along.

Over time, he also got to know the younger brother, began to spend time with him and became close to him.

He took the boy to the mosque for prayers, played with him, fetched him from school and took him out to eat.

The offender told the boys' grandmother that he would like to be a father figure and religious guide to the boys, since their parents were absent and he had no children.

The grandmother trusted that he would be a good father figure to them, and allowed him to meet her grandchildren more regularly.

She told their mother about this, and the mother did not interfere since she had entrusted the care of her sons to the grandmother.

Since then, the two boys treated the offender as a godfather, calling him "daddy", while he referred to them as his sons.

With the grandmother's permission, the offender took the boys to sleep over at his house and spend time with his wife. He would also take the boys for prayers at a mosque.

His wife had been trying to conceive, and the man said that they were blessed by being entrusted with the care of the boys.

RAPE OF THE YOUNGER BOY

Between 2022 and 2023, the man began raping the younger brother, who was six to eight years old then.

The boy had told the man that he was scared to use the toilet at the mosque alone and asked to be accompanied.

After doing so, the man developed the urge to rape the boy and devised a plan to do so.

He asked the boy if he wanted to win a "prize", a toy gun, and said that he would give it to him "the next time".

On another occasion, when the boy was at the man's home, the man promised to give the boy the toy gun.

He then raped the boy. He told the boy that they were just "having fun" and not to tell anyone.

He added that if the boy told anyone, that would mean he did not "love Daddy", and that "Daddy" would go to jail.

The boy responded that he would keep it a secret, as he was afraid that he would get scolded.

The man raped the younger brother many more times from 2022 to 2023.

They developed the codename "secret" to refer to the act of rape, with the man choosing this term to impress on the boy that he should not disclose it to anyone.

The man would give the boy presents such as toy guns, helicopters and pistols as a reward after raping him.

He also told the boy that the rape was his way of "punishing" him for being naughty.

The two brothers began going to the mosque after school five days a week. They spent an hour at the mosque with other friends at a religious class conducted by the offender.

On the first day that the boys attended this class, the offender told them to stay behind.

He told the younger brother that he had something to tell him, and asked the older boy to stay put.

He took the younger boy into a toilet at the mosque and raped him, as "he liked the excitement of doing so in public".

THE OLDER BROTHER

In early 2024, when the older brother was 11 to 12, the offender visited the boys at their home.

The older boy initially refused to meet him, but relented on his insistence, and they went to a nearby staircase landing.

While talking to the boy, the offender molested him. This was the first of several such incidents.

The man texted the victim later to say that he noticed the boy's reaction to the molestation and claimed that the boy "liked it".

He told the boy to keep it a secret as "Daddy loves (you)". If not, the boy would be "selfish" and the offender would be forced to "share everything" he knew about the boy and tell his grandmother.

He was trying to humiliate the boy into keeping silent.

DISCOVERY

In April 2024, when the two brothers were visiting their relatives, the younger boy asked their mother if a certain act was wrong, describing what was done to him.

The mother was shocked and after questioning him, the boy said it was the offender who had done that to him.

His older brother then told their mother that the offender had also molested him.

As they continued visiting relatives, the godbrother of the boys' mother, when told what had happened, asked them to call the offender.

The godbrother confronted the offender over the phone, but the man denied it.

Unconvinced, the godbrother pressed him to explain himself in person or he would call the police.

The offender then went down to meet the boys' mother and her godbrother.

At first, the man said that he could not have done it because he had erectile dysfunction.

The older brother recounted what the offender had done to him, and the man feigned shock.

He eventually admitted to sexually assaulting the two boys on their mother's questioning, but claimed that he had done so under the control of a supernatural spirit called a "djinn".

He claimed that he had found himself with the younger brother when the "djinn" left his body.

A relative called the police that night and the man was arrested. He has been remanded since then and assessed to have paedophilic disorder.

He denied being sexually attracted to children, but his recurrent behaviour and history of "multiple boy victims" indicated otherwise, the court heard.

The court also heard that his disorder did not contribute to the offences and his risk of reoffending is "moderate", especially towards boys who have a relationship with him.

It was further noted that although he expressed remorse over his acts with the younger brother, he externalised them and appeared to trivialise the other allegations.

IMPACT ON THE BROTHERS

The younger brother had nightmares about the incidents, feared going to places that would make him recall the offender, and has been unable to go to school at times when overcome with memories of what he had been through.

He developed self-hatred and suicidal thoughts, and engaged in self-harm. He struggled to trust others, at times believing that nobody cares about him.

He blamed his older brother and hated him, because he had first come to know the offender. He occasionally felt an urge to hurt his brother.

The older brother, too, developed suicidal thoughts and felt disgusted and "unhygienic" because of what the man did to him.

He had trouble trusting people and making friends at the mosque, where some people asked him what had happened.

He blamed himself for what happened to his younger brother, since he was the one who brought the offender into the family.

The brothers used to be close but grew apart because of the sexual assaults.

Deputy Public Prosecutors Hidayat Amir and Wong Woon Kwong sought a jail term of between 26 years and five months and 28 years and 11 months for the man, along with the maximum 24 strokes of the cane.

Mr Hidayat said that the offender had entered the lives of the brothers as a father figure but sexually abused them.

He raped the younger brother at least 10 times, the prosecution noted.

"The boys' trust in him was ... total, and he abused every inch of it," Mr Hidayat added.

The boys' grandmother entrusted them to the offender after assessing him, checking his social media, consulting her sons and observing his interactions, but he exploited this.

The abuse of trust by the man also "took on an insidious form of exploitation of his religious facade", Mr Hidayat said.

The man's acts harmed the victims' relationships with those around them, between themselves as brothers and with their friends at the mosque, he added.

The older brother described his younger brother as having a hard time at the mosque, "erratic and unmoored from the person he once was".

He also described how his younger brother had changed, is now emotionally volatile and anxious, and lashes out at their mother.

The older brother, now a young teenager, bears the blame by himself and his brother for opening the door for the offender to enter their lives, Mr Hidayat said.

"To the two boys, the accused appeared as a well-known man of faith who promised to be a religious guide to them," he added.

"Little did they know that beneath his religious cloak stood a paedophile. They did not know that he would rob them of their innocence, self-worth and dignity.

"Years after their realisation, they now face the excruciating task of piecing themselves back together. It is a task no child should ever face, and one that may never be fully complete."

MITIGATION

Defence lawyer Selvarajan Balamurugan from Regal Law sought 20 years and eight months' jail, and 24 strokes of the cane.

He said his client accepts that his acts on the young victims were vile and degrading and that he stood before the court with a profound sense of shame and regret.

The offender, who appeared in court in a prison outfit, held his head down for most of the hearing, shaking his head when he heard explicit details.

"As his counsel, Your Honour, I have condemned his actions, and he knows that," Mr Balamurugan said.

"But having said all these things, it has to be noted that his unequivocal admission of guilt has saved the victims the ordeal of having to testify."

He also said that his client had reflected on his actions in his time in remand and promises to ensure that he does not repeat them.

"The accused wishes to apologise sincerely to the victims and their families and seeks forgiveness for his misdeeds," the lawyer added.

Justice Kwek Mean Luck identified multiple aggravating factors in this case, including the severe harm suffered by the victims, the breach of trust, the premeditation and the vulnerability of the younger boy.

For the charge where the offence took place in a mosque, this is an additional aggravating factor, the judge said.

The mosque should have been the victim's safe sanctuary, Justice Kwek added.

"What the accused did was utterly abhorrent and heinous. It was an abomination."

He said that the boys looked up to the man for trust and protection, but he "betrayed them", preying on them instead of protecting them and causing them deep harm.

For each count of raping a minor, the man could have been jailed for between eight and 20 years and given at least 12 strokes of the cane.

UBS Global Wealth Report 2026

hydragyrum — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 22:55:31 +0800

https://www.ubs.com/global/en/wealthmanagem...ort-en-2026.pdf

A look inside this year’s Global Wealth Report

Here are just a few of the topics covered in the report:

Personal wealth has risen by over 10%, the fastest pace in years
The number of US dollar millionaires expanded again, adding nearly one million new millionaires globally – more than 2,600 per day
Changes in the global wealth pyramid show how fast-growing wealth tiers are reshaping where affluence is emerging

The picture at the end of 2025

As of the end of 2025, average wealth per adult in nominal terms ranged from close to USD 43,000 in Latin America to over USD 664,000 in North America.

Last year, we pointed out the existence of a split between North America and Oceania on one side of the half-million US dollar mark and the rest of the world’s regions on the other. This divide remains firmly in place, especially if we look at the United States and Australia individually.

The former’s average wealth per adult approaches USD 700,000, while the latter’s has broken through the USD 600,000 barrier. Western Europe’s figure amounts to less than half the level of the US, while all the other regions rank firmly below USD 100,000.

Airbus A350 flies 24 hours nonstop from AUS to FRA

hydragyrum — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 14:30:33 +0800

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-...breaking-flight

Airbus A350 jet flies 24 hours nonstop from Australia to France in record-breaking flight

Airbus said the aircraft remained in the air for 24 hours and 24 minutes, covering 23,075 km without stopping

[YOUTUBE]CS4qxoEKupc[/YOUTUBE]

AIRBUS completed a marathon test flight lasting more than 24 hours that triggered a surge in online tracking, when an A350 jet being developed for record-beating commercial flights touched down in France from Melbourne on Tuesday.

The test marks a key step in Qantas’ Project Sunrise, which aims to launch the world’s longest commercial passenger services and reshape long-haul travel by eliminating stopovers between Australia and Europe.

The specially adapted A350-1000ULR airliner is due to debut with the Australian carrier’s nonstop Sydney-London route from 2027. Airbus has been conducting a two-month test campaign on the aircraft since June.

Airbus said the aircraft, which boasts a specially designed extra fuel tank, remained in the air for 24 hours and 24 minutes, covering 23,075 km without stopping, before landing at the plane’s factory in Toulouse, France.

Flight-tracking provider Flightradar24 said the trip was the second-most-tracked flight ever on its channels – behind a 2024 flight carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin – with more than 3.6 million people following its progress northwards via Canada.

In 2005, a Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner flew 21,601.7 km from Hong Kong to London in 22 hours and 42 minutes.

Qantas has ordered 12 modified A350-1000ULR aircraft, designed to connect Australia’s east coast with London and New York in about 20 hours. The services aim to turn what was once a five-day journey on the “Kangaroo Route” to London into a single flight lasting 19 to 21 hours, depending on routing and winds.

The first aircraft, which carries 20,000 additional litres of fuel and can seat 238 passengers, is due for delivery in April 2027. Qantas expects to operate daily nonstop flights between Sydney and London from October 2027. REUTERS

SG's Sim Wong Hoo Invented the iPod Before Apple.

hydragyrum — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 20:41:31 +0800

Singapore's Sim Wong Hoo Invented the iPod Before Apple. Won the Lawsuit. Lost the World.

This is the true story of Sim Wong Hoo — the Singapore engineer who built the Sound Blaster, invented the portable music player before Apple, and won a $100 million lawsuit against Steve Jobs.
A documentary about innovation, timing, and what it means to be first at something the world isn't ready for yet.

He grew up the 10th of 12 children in a Bukit Panjang kampung. Borrowed $6,000 from his brother to open a computer repair shop in Chinatown.

By 1992, Sound Blaster cards were inside 400 million computers. Every game. Every CD. Every piece of music that came out of a PC in the 1990s.

In 1999 — two years before the iPod — he launched the Nomad. The first portable digital music player. He had the patent. He had the product.

Then Apple launched the iPod. And took everything.

He sued Apple in 2006. Won $100 million. Changed nothing about the market.

He died in 2023, still chairman of Creative Technology, still trying to build the next thing.

He arrived first. He just couldn't hold the era when it changed.

[YOUTUBE]AxO7WBOqJVk[/YOUTUBE]

Panasonic Is Closing Malaysian AVC Factory

hydragyrum — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 14:54:14 +0800

Panasonic Is Closing Malaysian AVC Factory and Moving Technics Hi-Fi Production

https://www.ecoustics.com/news/panasonic-cl...aysian-factory/

Panasonic has announced that Panasonic AVC Networks Kuala Lumpur Malaysia will cease operations by the end of March 2027, affecting approximately 400 employees. The factory currently produces televisions, Panasonic Blu-ray Disc players and unspecified Technics branded Hi-Fi components.

This does not mean that Panasonic is abandoning Blu-ray players or that Technics is exiting the Hi-Fi market. Production is being moved elsewhere. But the closure removes another major consumer audio and video factory from Panasonic’s manufacturing network, and that matters for a company whose premium audio reputation still depends heavily on engineering consistency, build quality and control over production.

What Is Moving?

Panasonic says television production will end at the Malaysian facility, while Blu-ray Disc player production will transfer to China Hualu Panasonic AVC Networks Co., Ltd. in China by the end of September 2026.

Production of Technics branded Hi-Fi audio products will end at the Shah Alam factory by the end of February 2027 and move to another Panasonic Group operation. Panasonic has not disclosed the destination or identified which Technics products are currently manufactured at the facility.

That missing information is important. Technics currently sells turntables, integrated amplifiers, network players, wireless loudspeakers, headphones and true wireless earphones across multiple price categories. Consumers should not assume that every Technics component is affected, or that production is being outsourced to an unrelated manufacturer.

The official statement says Technics manufacturing will remain within the Panasonic Group.

Why This Matters

Panasonic has already reduced its direct involvement in television manufacturing. Earlier in 2026, the company entered a partnership with Skyworth for production of Panasonic branded televisions sold in the United States. The Malaysian closure shows that the restructuring extends beyond one regional TV agreement and reaches deeper into Panasonic’s global AVC manufacturing footprint.

Technics is the more sensitive part of the announcement.

Panasonic has spent the past decade rebuilding Technics as a premium audio brand, with direct drive turntables such as the SL-1200G, SL-1200GR2 and new SL-1500CS supported by proprietary motor control, digital amplification and extensive in-house engineering. Moving production does not automatically reduce quality, but relocating manufacturing can affect component sourcing, production capacity, delivery schedules, costs and country of origin labeling.

It can also require new tooling, worker training and quality control procedures. Panasonic has not announced any product delays, shortages, price changes or model cancellations connected to the move, so predicting those outcomes would be premature.

[YOUTUBE]8k8AGcrilE4[/YOUTUBE]

What Happens to Technics?

For now, Technics continues as normal.

he company has introduced multiple new products in 2026, including the SL-1500CS turntable and limited edition SL-1200 models. Nothing in Panasonic’s announcement suggests that product development, sales, warranty coverage or customer support will end.

The unanswered question is whether Panasonic will move production to another existing Technics facility, consolidate it with a different Panasonic audio operation or create a more centralized manufacturing structure.

Until Panasonic identifies the destination and affected product lines, anything more specific would be speculation wearing a factory badge.

Malaysia Remains Important to Panasonic

Panasonic says Malaysia will remain one of its key regional hubs, with approximately 12,000 employees working across manufacturing, research and development, procurement and corporate operations. The company says it is working with government agencies and the Electrical Industry Workers’ Union to provide job placement and career transition support for the approximately 400 affected employees.

That does not make the closure less significant for the people losing their jobs. “Manufacturing footprint optimization” tends to sound considerably better when one is not standing inside the footprint being optimized.

The Bottom Line

Panasonic is not shutting down Technics, but it is closing a factory that produces Technics HiFi components and moving that work to an undisclosed Panasonic Group operation.

The transfer could ultimately improve production efficiency without changing product quality. It could also create temporary supply, cost or capacity issues during the transition. Panasonic has not provided enough information to know which outcome is more likely.

What is clear is that Panasonic continues to consolidate its consumer AV manufacturing while protecting the brands and product categories it still believes have value.

Technics remains alive and active. We just do not yet know where some of it will be built next.

P104 Subang - Hypothetical Scenario

hydragyrum — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 20:37:00 +0800

With the dynamic re-alignment for the upcoming GE16, this would be a hypothetical scenario for potential candidates.
Given that most of the more prominent non-Malay PKR MPs are aligned with Rafizi, there would possibly be some seat swapping between PKR and DAP (For Example : Subang swap with Bangi).

If you are a voter in Subang with these potential candidates, who would you vote?

Past results for reference:-

ECRL's Tallest Railway Bridge - 178 meters

hydragyrum — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 20:02:44 +0800

Standing tall at 178 metres at Pahang, this bridge has been officially recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records as Malaysia's Tallest Railway Bridge.

Watch the breathtaking aerial views and experience the scale of this record-breaking landmark from above.

[YOUTUBE]N80Pu5wtYI8[/YOUTUBE]