Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by The_Special_One

Chinese scientists revive frozen brain tissue

The_Special_One — Thu, 23 May 2024 14:40:17 +0800

Chinese scientists revive frozen brain tissue without damage in breakthrough study

Previously, freezing brain tissue proved lethal to the tissue due to ice crystal formation. This limited researchers’ ability to study neurological diseases in a lab setting.

Led by Zhicheng Shao, researchers at Fudan University in China used human stem cells to grow brain organoids and exposed them to various chemicals before freezing them in liquid nitrogen.

The solution that minimized cell death and preserved function after thawing is composed of methylcellulose, ethylene glycol, DMSO and Y27632. The scientists called the cryopreservation method MEDY based on the compounds used.

The findings suggest that MEDY can potentially improve research into neurological conditions in the near future.

Link

UiTM head of department scammer and bankrupt?

The_Special_One — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 23:02:42 +0800

Nephrologist Dr Rafidah Abdullah has urged a public university to explain why it allowed a person who has been declared a bankrupt to lead one of the departments under its medical faculty.

Rafidah said the vice-chancellor of the varsity must explain the matter, especially since the government’s regulations bar bankrupts from being hired for the public services.

Rafidah also claimed that the academic has not been registered with the Malaysian Medical Council this year, a requirement for a doctor to legally practice medicine.

She asked Malaysians if they would be willing to be treated or operated on by a doctor who is not legally allowed to practice medicine and who is a bankrupt who has not settled outstanding debts.

Source

Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) is deeply confident that its postgraduate cardiothoracic surgery programmes, in collaboration with the National Heart Institute (IJN), will obtain full accreditation and, subsequently, recognition by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), says Prof Dr Zainuddin Md Wazir
Report here

Founder of Allianze University College of Medical Sciences (AUCMS) Datuk Dr Zainuddin Wazir pleads for help from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib to solve the college’s financial issues
News article

Former students of Allianze University College of Medical Sciences (AUCMS) still waiting for justice
FB link

Edited to add info:
Can a bankrupt head a medical faculty dept, ask netizens

Dzulkefly rejects claims Pakatan government

The_Special_One — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 15:18:28 +0800

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Former health minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad criticised Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali for purporting that more Malaysians would have died from Covid-19 if Pakatan Harapan were still in power.

Dzulkefly said this was a bald attempt to portray the PH administration as underperforming, and rejected this by holding up the Covid-19 data from when the coalition still governed.

“For the record, as of February 24, we had 24 Covid-19 positive cases, where 22 made full recovery while two more were warded but not in the intensive care unit nor did they needed ventilators and there were no deaths until the day we left Putrajaya,” he told reporters during a press conference at the Parliament building today.

Azmin made the claim while campaigning in Slim, Perak, and Dzulkelfy shared a clip of the former doing so.

“Azmin’s accusations are very bad, extremely irresponsible, despicable and regrettable, and it has to be exposed to the people.

“Even the health director-general Noor Hisham (Tan Sri Noor Hisham Abdullah) said when under PH, the Covid-19 outbreak was handled well and precautionary steps were taken hence there were no problems until the clusters (UDA cluster and Seri Petaling tabligh cluster) appeared,” Dzulkefly said.

Former finance minister Lim Guang Eng, who was also present, said Azmin went overboard with the claim that was baseless.

“And he said that under PH’s administration I did not give enough money to address Covid-19. This another lie and accusation,” he said.

Lim noted that during the PH administration, there was a RM20 billion stimulus package announced to deal with Covid-19.

He then challenged Azmin to demonstrate how and why more Malaysians would have died rather than making wild allegations against Dzulkefly’s handling of disease.

Link

Umno, PAS told to stop fanning racial tension

The_Special_One — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 19:52:35 +0800

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno and PAS have been told to stop fanning racial and religious tension by playing up the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) issue, says Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad.

The deputy Housing and Local Government minister said it was impossible for the country to ratify ICERD without any amendments to the Federal Constitution.

"Without a two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat, how can we ratify it?

"Why can't the lawyers tell the public that ICERD would be impossible to ratify unless Umno and PAS support it," he told a press conference at the parliament lobby.

It has been reported that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said it was almost impossible to ratify ICERD as it would entail amending the Federal Constitution.

According to Bernama, the Prime Minister pointed out that a two-thirds parliamentary majority was needed for this to happen.

Nevertheless, the opposition parties are planning to hold another mega gathering to oppose ICERD in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 8.

Raja Kamarul Bahrin said PAS and Umno should instead focus on drug problems in states that they helmed.

Quoting figures from the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK), he said Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu recorded the highest number of drug addicts in the country.

"As of September this year, AADK recorded a total 16,918 cases in Kelantan, 16,150 in Pahang and 10,576 in Terengganu.

The three states are helmed by PAS and Umno.

"They should focus on eradicating drug problems among the Malays instead of fanning religious and racial tension," he said.

The Deputy Minister said the protests staged by PAS and Umno would create rift and hatred as it portrayed ICERD as threaten the special position of the Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak.

He assured that the government would study ICERD closely and if it was against the constitution, it would never be accepted," he said.

Source

Facebook vlogger Nas Daily features

The_Special_One — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 21:49:10 +0800

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has been deemed the “forbidden land” by famous Facebook vlogger (video blogger) Nas Daily.

In his video entitled “The Forbidden Land!” posted on his Facebook page, Nas, whose real name is Nuseir Yassin, said he was not allowed to enter Malaysia because he owns an Israeli passport.

“The country you see behind me, is as hard for me to enter as North Korea. Because this is Malaysia,” he said, as he pointed to buildings believed to be in Tanjung Puteri, across the Straits of Johor.

“With my Israeli passport, it is almost impossible for me to enter their country and even more impossible for them to enter mine because of politics,” he said, adding that “Malaysia and Israel are not friends”.

Speaking in his one-minute video clip from Singapore, the Israeli-Palestinian who has been travelling full-time and making videos since 2016, said that he has made friends with several Malaysians in Singapore and learned about the country's food, culture and language.

Nas noted that this friendship with Malaysians “can only exist outside of Israel and Malaysia”.

Before ending with his iconic “That's one minute, see you tomorrow” tagline, Nas expressed hope of peace among governments.

“I am convinced that when governments make peace, we will meet inside of Malaysia, inside of Israel, and inside of Palestine. Inshallah.”

The video was viewed over 651,000 times and had 27,000 Likes five hours after it was posted on Thursday (Aug 30).

Facebook user Christine Gan said she was glad that Nas had finally featured Malaysia in his Facebook.

“I’m sure a lot of your Malaysian fans would love to have you here!” she wrote.

Grace K Dharmain wrote that she understood why Nas has not come to Malaysia until now. “There is (sic) so so many 1 minute stories to tell!"

Another Facebook user Fenny Masruri said that Indonesia does not accept Israeli passport holders either.

Malaysia does not officially recognise Israel, and Malaysian passports bear the inscription, “This passport is valid for all countries except Israel”.

Israeli passport holders are not permitted to enter the country without written permission from the Home Ministry.

However, the government allows Malaysian Christians to visit Israel up to 21 days for religious purposes.

Source

Parents are paying for ‘Fortnite’ coach for kids

The_Special_One — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 21:56:02 +0800

Parents are paying “Fortnite: Battle Royale” coaches to work with their children, reports the Wall Street Journal.

They hope that these coaches will lead to college scholarships, e-sports careers, or at least some prize money.

Coaches charge as much as $35 an hour.

The same way that some kids get music or tennis lessons, the Wall Street Journal has found several parents who pay private “Fortnite: Battle Royale” coaches to help their child excel at the popular video game.

“There’s pressure not to just play it but to be really good at it,” one mother from Winchester, England told the Journal. “You can imagine what that was like for him at school.”

The Journal spoke with several parents who have paid for private “Fortnite” lessons for their children. Some of those parents are hoping that their kids will turn their hobbies into lucrative e-sports careers, a college scholarship – or, at least, a slice of “Fortnite” developer Epic Games’ $100 million competitive prize pool.

Parents typically find Fortnite coaches for their children through social media or contracting sites. There are also dedicated coaching marketplaces like Gamer Sensei, which charges between $15 and $35 an hour for “Fortnite” lessons.

This new trend comes as a surprise to even the coaches, according to the report, because until recently, the only people investing in video game coaching were adult enthusiasts, or young people aspiring to go pro.

“My dad would have never paid for me to take video game lessons,” Logan Werner, an 18-year-old Fortnite coach and professional gamer in Utah, told the WSJ.

But the parents shelling out for these lessons say that the practice is no different than investing in private tutors to help their children succeed in other activities, like basketball or chess.

Social media seems to think otherwise. Many Twitter users are disdainful of the idea, even as it’s clear that it’s a sign of the times.

Source

Beer almost ran out in Moscow FIFA World Cup

The_Special_One — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 16:12:22 +0800

Beer-guzzling soccer fans risk drinking bars and restaurants in the Russian capital dry, with some saying they are running low and having to wait longer than usual for fresh supplies.

Moscow has been transformed by the World Cup, with singing, chanting and beer swilling fans overwhelming some of the packed bars and restaurants around the Kremlin and Red Square.

"We just didn't think they would only want beer," said one waiter at a upscale eatery in central Moscow who asked not to be identified for fear of scaring off future customers.

The waiter said his restaurant ran out of draft lager on Monday and deliveries are taking longer than usual, at least 24 hours, because suppliers' stocks are also running low.
"There are really a lot of people in Moscow ... and they are all drinking," he said. "It's hot, and it's football."

Beer sales in Russia have fallen by around a third over the past decade on the back of rising duties and tougher rules on sales and advertising, and brewers had not been expecting a major reversal of the trend this year.

Heineken, Baltika - the Russian unit of Carlsberg - and Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's biggest brewer and the official FIFA sponsor for the World Cup, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Dmitry, a barman at trendy courtyard bar Gogol, said visiting soccer fans had drunk 800 liters of beer in three days, downing the cheap lager before the more expensive bottled beers.

Gogol was taking three deliveries on Tuesday to replenish supplies, he said, as workers busily unpacked boxes of beer, vodka and whiskey from a nearby van.

"The sun makes them thirsty," he said of his customers. "In Russian we say 'to the bottom!' I like that these guys are embracing our culture."

But fans such as Ivan, a Croatian who is in Russia to see his team take on Argentina on Thursday, said he had yet to encounter any beer shortages.

"There is beer everywhere," he said, swigging from a can of Russian Zhiguli lager whilst sitting on a bench near the Bolshoi Theatre. "Some places yes, some places no. You just have to know where to find it!"

Source

Bitcoin could break the Internet

The_Special_One — Mon, 18 Jun 2018 18:11:59 +0800

THE Bank for International Settlements just told the cryptocurrency world it’s not ready for prime time -- and as far as mainstream financial services go, may never be.

In a withering 24-page article released Sunday as part of its annual economic report, the BIS said Bitcoin and its ilk suffered from “a range of shortcomings” that would prevent cryptocurrencies from ever fulfilling the lofty expectations that prompted an explosion of interest -- and investment -- in the would-be asset class.

The BIS, an 88-year-old institution in Basel, Switzerland, that serves as a central bank for other central banks, said cryptocurrencies are too unstable, consume too much electricity, and are subject to too much manipulation and fraud to ever serve as bona fide mediums of exchange in the global economy.

It cited the decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies -- Bitcoin and its imitators are created, transacted, and accounted for on a distributed network of computers -- as a fundamental flaw rather than a key strength.

In one of its most poignant findings, the BIS analyzed what it would take for the blockchain software underpinning Bitcoin to process the digital retail transactions currently handled by national payment systems.

As the size of so many ledgers swell, the researchers found, it would eventually overwhelm everything from individual smartphones to servers.

“The associated communication volumes could bring the Internet to a halt,” the report said.

‘Disaster’

Researchers also said that the race by so-called Bitcoin miners to be the first to process transactions eats about the same amount of electricity as Switzerland does.

“Put in the simplest terms, the quest for decentralized trust has quickly become an environmental disaster,” they said.

The BIS is weighing in at pivotal moment in the cryptocurrency story. Even as Goldman Sachs Group Inc., the New York Stock Exchange, and other institutions take steps to offer clients access to the new marketplace, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is cracking down on the offerings of new digital tokens, which it has found are rife with ripoffs. At the same time, cyber-attackers are hitting crypto exchanges regularly -- just last week, Bitcoin nosedived after a South Korean exchange reported it was hacked. It fell 0.9 percent to $6,438 as of 10:40 a.m. in Sydney on Monday.

The value of the cryptocurrency market has plunged 53 percent this year to $280 billion, according to CoinMarketCap.

Some Benefits

The BIS did say that blockchain and its so-called distributed ledger technology did provide some benefits for the global financial system.

The software can make sending cross-border payments more efficient, for example.

And trade finance, the business of exports and imports that still relies on faxes and letters of credit, was indeed ripe for the improvements offered by Blockchain-related programs.

Still, the institution concluded that Bitcoin’s great breakthrough, the ability of one person to send something of value to someone else with the ease of an email, is also its Achilles heel.

It’s simply too risky on a number of levels to try and run the global economy on a network with no center.

“Trust can evaporate at any time because of the fragility of the decentralized consensus through which transactions are recorded,” the report concluded.

“Not only does this call into question the finality of individual payments, it also means that a cryptocurrency can simply stop functioning, resulting in a complete loss of value.” - Bloomberg

Source

Secret to PAS’ spirited campaigners in GE13?

The_Special_One — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 20:51:44 +0800

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor claimed PAS workers stayed energetic without sleep during the GE13 campaign trail because they were consuming “pil kuda” or methamphetamine.

In a video posted on his Facebook page, Tengku Adnan recalled facing off against Datuk Husam Musa who was then with PAS for the Putrajaya parliamentary seat.

“I remember five years ago when Husam contested against me here, the PAS Youth members who helped with the elections could work two to three days straight with no sleep.

“On another side, we have the Umno Youth boys who were so weak in comparison.

“Finally, after checking, we found out that they were fed with pil kuda. This is the Islamist party.

“I am sorry, PAS, but it was wrong,” he said in the video taken at a groundbreaking ceremony of two surau for Precinct 11K and 11F in Putrajaya earlier today.

Methamphetamine is a stimulant that increases the release of the hormones dopamine and norepinephrine, which can give high energy boosts and result in euphoria lasting anywhere between eight and 24 hours.

The use of pil kuda during the election campaign was previously raised by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, who accused PKR candidates of pushing the drug in GE13.

It led to a defamation suit by PKR’s Bukit Besi candidate Shamsul Mat Amin, which was later dropped.

In his speech today, the incumbent Putrajaya MP said Barisan Nasional is the nation’s true “hope”, playing on the name of Pakatan Harapan in Malay.

“With the so-called Harapan, what harapan are they talking about?

“We know that today’s government is the nation’s true hope because it is a responsible government which had achieved 97.4 per cent of what we promised in our GE13 manifesto,” he said.

In the last polls, Tengku Adnan defeated Husam with a majority of 5,541 votes. He has held the Putrajaya seat since 2004.

Source

Happiest country in the world

The_Special_One — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 14:24:37 +0800

Finland is the happiest country in the world, says UN report
Nordic nations take top four places in happiness rankings, with annual study also charting the decline of the US

Finland has overtaken Norway to become the happiest nation on earth, according to a UN report.

The 2018 World Happiness Report also charts the steady decline of the US as the world’s largest economy grapples with a crisis of obesity, substance abuse and depression.

The study reveals the US has slipped to 18th place, five places down on 2016. The top four places are taken by Nordic nations, with Finland followed by Norway, Denmark and Iceland.

Burundi in east Africa, scarred by bouts of ethnic cleansing, civil wars and coup attempts, is the unhappiest place in the world. Strikingly, there are five other nations – Rwanda, Yemen, Tanzania, South Sudan and the Central African Republic – which report happiness levels below that of even Syria.

For the first time the UN also examined the happiness levels of immigrants in each country, and found Finland also scored highest.

“Finland has vaulted from fifth place to the top of the rankings this year,” said the report’s authors, although they noted that the other three Nordic countries (plus Switzerland) have almost interchangeable scores.

The report, an annual publication from the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, said all the Nordic countries scored highly on income, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom, trust and generosity. The rankings are based on Gallup polls of self-reported wellbeing, as well as perceptions of corruption, generosity and freedom.

The UN placing is the latest accolade for Finland, a country of 5.5 million people that only 150 years ago suffered Europe’s last naturally caused famine. The country has been ranked the most stable, the safest and best governed country in the world. It is also among the least corrupt and the most socially progressive. Its police are the world’s most trusted and its banks the soundest.

......

Top 10 happiest countries, 2018
(2017 ranking in brackets)

1. Finland (5)

2. Norway (1)

3. Denmark (2)

4. Iceland (3)

5. Switzerland (4)

6. Netherlands (6)

7. Canada (7)

8. New Zealand (8)

9. Sweden (10)

10. Australia (9)

35. Malaysia (42)

The 10 unhappiest countries, 2018
(2017 ranking in brackets)

147. Malawi (136)

148. Haiti (145)

149. Liberia (148)

150. Syria (152)

151. Rwanda (151)

152. Yemen (146)

153. Tanzania (153)

154. South Sudan (147)

155. Central African Republic (155)

156. Burundi (154)

[URL=Finland is the happiest country in the world]https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/14/finland-happiest-country-world-un-report[/URL]

Bung:Malaysian obesity proves country’s prosperity

The_Special_One — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 22:43:07 +0800

KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 — Obesity related deaths and diseases debunk Opposition claims that the country was not prospering, said a Barisan Nasional lawmaker today.

Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Moktar Radin claimed Malaysia was fortunate as its people could afford to overeat.

He was contradicting earlier remarks by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

“This country, in terms of food, I feel this country is the one that is most blessed...

“More people who die, die from overeating. Many are obese, have diabetes, many have high blood pressure, many have heart diseases, because they eat meat everyday, they eat chicken meat everyday!" Bung said when debating the royal address today.

He then offered to bring Opposition lawmakers to countries where residents must scavenge for food.

Source

Local traders cry foul over 'unfair' competition

The_Special_One — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 09:31:58 +0800

KUALA LUMPUR: Entrepreneurs in the small- and medium-scale industries are crying foul over the increasing trend of foreign workers taking over their livelihood.

Their biggest grouse is that these foreigners are running similar businesses illicitly and are not bound by regulations.

They also claimed that these illicit traders freely employed foreign workers, many believed to be illegals or were abusing their work permits.

Exasperated, these businessmen told the New Straits Times that locals who leased their businesses or premises to foreigners who offered them high returns were also to blame.

Checks in the Klang Valley showed a number of areas that have been monopolised by foreigners, who sell just about everything: essential goods to fresh food and mobile prepaid cards. They also offer massage and hair-cut services.

Many have divided their shop lots into sections for different businesses and offered certain sections for rent to other foreigners.

Entrepreneurs are urging the government to reconsider the 2016 freeze on the intake of foreign workers.

Kuala Lumpur Hair Salon Cooperative Bhd chairman A.K. Selvan said he lost more than RM150,000 in two years.

“When we close down, these foreigners fill the gap immediately. I have been charging my customers RM10 (for a hair cut) for the past 20 years, but these immigrants are charging RM7 to RM8.

“They can provide such prices because they don’t pay income tax or levies for foreign workers.

“They sleep on the premises and they don’t have to feed their families here. How can we compete with them?”

Selvan, who is also the former Malaysian Indian Hair Dressing Salon Owners Association president, said these foreigners were bold and had no problem flouting the law.

“I was offered RM1,500 a month by a Bangladeshi in exchange for my barber shop.

“He told me that he had people to help him run the shop. I was so angry that I chased him out. Unfortunately, some locals fall for easy money.

“Some of these foreigners are also abusing their work permits. They came as workers in the plantation or construction sectors, but they ended up in the service industry,” said Selvan, who inherited the business from his father.

KL Hawkers and Bumiputera Petty Traders Association president Datuk Seri Rosli Sulaiman said the government should go after foreigners who operated businesses illegally.

“We have laws on foreigners doing businesses here, but what is happening is that even illegal immigrants are running businesses at the expense of locals.”

He said among areas packed with such illicit businesses were Selayang, Jalan Silang, Petaling Street and Pasar Pudu.

Malaysian Muslim Wholesalers and Retailers Association president Amanullah Maideen said the authorities should step up enforcement to hold those who brought in the foreigners accountable.

“How can immigrants with plantation permits set up businesses in Petaling Street and Selayang market? They should work only in sectors stipulated by the permits.

“In other countries, employers must monitor their foreign workers or they will not be able to renew their employees’ permits.”

Local traders cry foul over 'unfair' competition

Malaysia’s legendary goalkeeper Chow passed away

The_Special_One — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 18:12:12 +0800

PETALING JAYA: An international at 15, a professional at barely 20, coveted by Hong Kong professional teams and even praised effusively by Brazilian legend Pele for an amazing dive-at-the-foot save.

That was Malaysia’s legendary goalkeeper Chow Chee Keong, the first in a series of great names to man the posts for the nation.

Chow died at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) here after a struggle with bladder cancer. He was 69.

Chow was voted Asia’s best player by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) five times in a row, from 1966 to 1970, and made a name for himself as a professional player in Hong Kong.

But he was not any normal football great. He was even offered Brazilian citizenship so he could play for Cruzeiro and also an acting offer in a Hong Kong movie.

Pele, arguably the world’s greatest player, hailed Chow as one the best goalkeepers he had crossed paths with after a couple of encounters in the 1970s.

Chow had previously faced Cruzeiro during his playing stint in Hong Kong in 1972, where he represented Hong Kong League XI.

The match ended 3-0 but Chow’s heroics made an impact on the Brazilian club.

Chow also kept the scoreline to a creditable 2-0 loss when the national football team took on Brazilian giants Santos with Pele in their ranks at the Merdeka Stadium in 1973.

In 1974, Cruzeiro offered to sign Chow with one condition – he had to take Brazilian citizenship. He had to turn it down because of the citizenship clause.

Chow’s dashing looks also earned him a film deal with Min Tak Movie Enterprise in 1972 but the project was shelved after company folded before shooting could begin.

Chow had his international debut in 1965 with another former great Dali Omar at the 1964 Asian Youth soccer tournament in Saigon.

His rise was phenomenal and he was already a professional by 1972 when Malaysia qualified for the Olympics. He was replaced by Wong Kam Fook and the line of goalkeepers continued with Lim Fung Kee, Rashid Hassan and R. Arumugam, among others.

Close friend and teammate Datuk N. Thanabalan said Chow’s martial art background was among the reasons for his prowess between the posts.

“Chee Keong was a very brave player and it’s all due to his karate training. He held a black belt and he’s very fit and can jump very high because of karate,” said Thanabalan.

“We played together for the senior team several times. The 1968 Merdeka Tournament is a special one for me and Chee Keong.

“We beat Western Australia 4-3 in the semi-final. He kicked the ball into the opponent’s half and it bounced over a defender before I finished it. That was our winner. We call it the ‘two-touch goal’ until this very day.

“He went to Hong Kong and had a good career there and came back to teach pro golf. He had two handicap in golf, he’s just a fantastic sportsman. We used to meet up once in a while after our retirement. I’ll surely will miss him.”

Datuk M. Karathu, another a former teammate, said he had known Chow when they played in the Federation of Malaya School Sports Council as teenagers.

“I was playing for Perak and he for Selangor in the tournament which was the predecessor of Malaysia Schools Sports Council (MSSM). He was a talented footballer and went on to make a mark in Malaysian football,” said Karathu.

“He was also a disciplined pro.”

Chow had been hospitalised on Jan 17 for a heart bypass surgery. While the bypass itself was successful, other complications arose, and he was warded at the intensive care unit of the UMMC.

The wake service will be held at 8.30pm tomorrow (Friday) while the funeral will be held at 10am on Saturday. Both services will be held at Nirvana Memorial Centre.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak also offered his condolences on his official Twitter account.

Source: Leaving behind a legacy

Jalan di Kuantan ditukar nama Jalan Qinzhou

The_Special_One — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 12:03:59 +0800

1 FEBRUARI 2018

KUANTAN - Majlis Perbandaran Kuantan (MPK) sudah menaikkan papan tanda bagi nama Jalan Qinzhou, di Taman Perindustrian Malaysia-China Kuantan (MCKIP)Gebeng di sini sejak setahun lalu.

Ketua Seksyen Perhubungan Awam MPK, Izad Zainal Muhammad Safian berkata, malah nama bandar Kuantan akan turut tercatat disebuah jalan di Qinzhou, China selepas persetujuan bersama diadakan bagi program Bandaraya Persahabatan antara MPK dan Datuk Bandar Qinzhou, dua tahun lalu.

Menurutnya, papan tanda tersebut akan dinaikkan selepas kunjungan rasmi pihak MPK ke Qinzhou, China dan ia juga salah satu cara untuk menarik lebih ramai pelabur dari China, sekaligus mempromosikan Kuantan sebagai destinasi pelancongan terkemuka di Malaysia.

“Persetujuan ini dicapai kedua-dua pihak menerusi kerjasama Program Bandaraya Persahabatan.

Pada ketika itu, Datuk Zulkifli Yaacob adalah Yang Dipertua MPK.

"Saya difahamkan mereka setuju menamakan satu jalan sebagai Kuantan Street di bandar itu (Qinzhou, China) dan kita juga akan melakukan perkara sama sebagai tanda persahabatan,” katanya ketika dihubungi Sinar Harian di sini, hari ini.

Semalam, sekeping gambar papan tanda nama Jalan Qinzhou dimuat naik oleh pemilik akaun dan tular di laman sosial Facebook.

Menyentuh mengenai perkara itu, Izad berkata, papan tanda nama jalan itu bukan sesuatu yang baharu, sebaliknya sudah lama dinaikan di MCKIP semasa kunjungan rasmi dari Qinzhou, China.

Jalan Qinzhou, di Gebeng sudah lama dipasang MPK

Bitcoin invest platform BitConnect shutting down

The_Special_One — Wed, 17 Jan 2018 08:36:10 +0800

Following months of red flags, Bitcoin investment platform BitConnect – which has long been suspected of running a Ponzi scheme – has officially announced its platform is shutting down.

In a blog post – titled “Changes coming for the Bitconnect [sic] system – Halt of lending and exchange platform” – released on its official website, the company said that is “closing the Bitconnect [sic] lending and exchange platform.” The website has since gone down.

The statement goes on to suggest that BitConnect will now operate solely “for wallet service, news and educational purposes.”

“We are closing the lending operation immediately with the release of all outstanding loans,” the statement read. “With release of your entire active loan in the lending wallet we are transferring all your lending wallet balance to your BitConnect wallet balance at 363.62 USD [sic].”

This rate has been calculated based on last 15 days averages of the closing price registered on coinmarketcap.com,” it continued. “You are free to withdraw your BitConnect coin currently in QT wallets that was used for staking as well. We are also closing BCC exchange platform in [five] days.”

“In short, we are closing lending service and exchange service while BitConnect.co website will operate for wallet service, news and educational purposes,” it ended.

Those interested to see the full statement can refer to a screenshot captured by independent Twitter sleuth @BCCPonzi, who has been documenting the investment platform’s shady business for months.

According to the statement, the company will “continue offering other cryptocurrency services in the future.” The equally questionnable BitConnect X ICO – which was explicitly named in a cease and desist letter served by the Texas Securities Board – will remain “functional.”

BitConnect claims that its BCC coin will still be “listed on outside exchanges” and “merchant websites.” Meanwhile, it has taken a massive dip to $144, as per CoinMarketCap. By comparison, its value fluctuated around the $425 mark less than 10 days ago.

Read more...

Going to Krabi, place to go and how to avoid scam?

The_Special_One — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 14:53:10 +0800

I'm planning a trip to Krabi soon, itching to see the beautiful beaches. Trying out food at the famous night market. Looking for suggestions on the must visit places, including the islands. Please share your best experience in Krabi.

However, I have been reading online about the various scams in Krabi and by extension Thailand. I really want to try out tuk tuk, any realiable way to spot an honest driver? Anyone has the bad fortune of being scammed before in Krabi? Or how to spot and avoid one? I hope I won't get involved in scam and ruined my travel experience.

WTB iPhone 6s Plus 16gb new sealed in box

The_Special_One — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 19:36:05 +0800

Looking for iPhone 6s Plus 16gb, new and not refurbished, sealed in box, with 1 year Apple warranty, preferably gold rose color, offer your price or PM me (with serial number). Looking for around RM2200+