Sebuah lukisan memperlihatkan suasana di Dewan Rakyat dipenuhi orang utan dan katak mencuri tumpuan Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
Dalam catatan di Facebook Pejabat Diraja Selangor, Baginda berkenan membeli karya seni itu selepas melihatnya dan menggantung lukisan berkenaan di bilik bacaan peribadi.
“Sebuah hasil karya seni lukisan telah menarik perhatian Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj.
“Sebaik melihatnya, Baginda berkenan untuk membeli karya lukisan itu dan menggantungnya di ‘private study room’ Baginda,” menurut catatan itu.
Baginda berhasrat melelong lukisan itu suatu hari nanti dan hasil lelongan akan disumbangkan bagi tujuan kebajikan.
Sementara itu, warganet yang turut teruja melihat kreativiti lukisan berkenaan berkata karya itu mempunyai maksud yang mendalam.
“Daulat tuanku, sangat dalam maksud lukisan ini. Pelukis yang hebat,” kata Jamie Long.
“Tersurat sangat makna gambar ini. Harapnya Tuanku juga dapat melihat dan tegur pemimpin politik seperti gambar yang Tuanku beli tu,” komen pengguna Facebook lain.
Mohamad Nasrullizam Yunus pula menyifatkan lukisan itu memberi gambaran bahawa ahli politik di negara ini “sungguh hina”.
“Kalau 222 orang (Ahli Parlimen) tu tak malu, tak tahulah,” balas individu lain.
Capital A, the parent of budget carrier AirAsia, has taken the first step towards bringing flying taxis to the masses in Southeast Asia while taking another leap towards transforming its brand.
“Urban Air Mobility is a new concept. Therefore, the focus is on creating and enabling an ecosystem and the building blocks for future development and growth,” said Ling Liong Tien, chief safety officer at AirAsia.
AirAsia Aviation Group signed a memorandum of understanding in February to lease a minimum of 100 VX4 electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft from Avolon, a leasing company based in Ireland. Avolon ordered the VX4s from British developer Vertical Aerospace.
A team formed by the three companies will hold its first meeting this month in Kuala Lumpur, aiming to deliver the VX4s in 2025.
To launch the business, the air taxis will need type certificates, along with specialised aviation rules and infrastructure for landing, takeoff and parking. Vertical Aerospace is in the process of obtaining type certification in Europe. The company plans to initiate test flights as soon as this month.
In Singapore, the government has designated an air mobility hub at the Seletar Aerospace Park for testing flying taxis.
Under AirAsia’s model, the operation will start as a link between Kuala Lumpur’s city centre and Kuala Lumpur International Airport, which will reduce the hour-long trip by car to a mere 17 minutes.
The fare is expected to cost less than US$50 per person if four people share the same air taxi.
American Airlines has invested in Vertical Aerospace. Japan Airlines signed a deal reserving the right to lease up to 50 electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs, from Avolon.
But both Japan and the US are in the process of writing regulations for air taxis, while Southeast Asia is playing catch-up in the air taxi game as demand for the service could soar in a region plagued by traffic congestion.
By 2050, 161,000 air taxis will be in service around the world, according to Munich-based consultancy Roland Berger, with the Asia-Pacific region accounting for 51%. AirAsia appears to be the first major airline in the Asean region to make the leap into air taxis.
“Our aim is very clear – to have (VX4s) fly all over Southeast Asia,” said Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes. “We made Asean smaller with the A320. We go even more local with the advent of VX4.”
AirAsia has led the way in the region’s low-cost carrier business and includes operators based in Indonesia and Thailand.
It will use that network to expand the air taxi business throughout Southeast Asia. But besides type certification and infrastructure, recent financial struggles also pose a significant challenge to the strategy.
Stiff competition among Southeast Asian budget carriers had caused earnings in the industry to plateau before the fallout from the pandemic. AirAsia has turned in net losses for three straight years through 2021. The group switched to a holding company structure rebranded as Capital A in January.
The company’s negative net worth deepened to roughly RM6 billion, putting the group at risk of being automatically delisted. Fernandes forecast a return to profitability in 2023 in an interview with Nikkei Asia, expressing his view that the red ink will persist this fiscal year.
Capital A sought RM500 million in government-backed loans, but the plan was rejected last month by the state-owned financier Danajamin Nasional.
Capital A was unable to meet conditions for the funding, which included a loan guarantee by Fernandes, Danajamin Nasional said. The company is hunting for financing from another bank.
AirAsia switched its name to Capital A to reflect the determination to transform into a digital company that pursues new growth through its vast portfolio of mobility businesses.
The digital arm is rapidly expanding. In 2020, the group entered the meal delivery business, then launched a ride-hailing service last year. E-commerce and logistics operations are scaling up, and Capital A is testing a drone-based delivery service.
Capital A has launched a superapp that serves as a one-stop shop for its services. Air taxi booking and payments will be integrated into the platform.
The capital crunch will limit Capital A’s ability to expand market share and earning capacity in ride-hailing, a sector known for brutal price competition. But the air taxi business has a relatively high barrier to entry and will provide Capital A fertile ground to flex its aviation expertise.
MALAYSIAN student Irdina Shahriman, 24, has come out at the top of her class of almost 10,000 graduates at Virginia Tech, a highly regarded technical university in the United States.
Marking her accomplishment, she received a Phi Kappa Phi medallion – an award conferred to senior graduates with the highest academic results – from her university’s College of Engineering.
1/ Congratulations to Irdina Shahriman for receiving the Phi Kappa Phi medallion for the College of Engineering – the award is given to the graduating senior with the highest academic standing. @virginia_tech 🔗 https://t.co/Ni55bKmeMA
The Yayasan Tenaga Nasional scholar had achieved a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.0 throughout her four years of study from 2018 to 2021, ending with her obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.
“I am not a ‘genius’ by nature, so I worked hard. I did not skip classes, I took notes diligently, and more importantly, I took the initiative to connect with my professors and classmates, which enhanced my understanding of the subject matter,” Irdina told StarEdu.
The Subang Jaya native, who graduated in December of last year, said it was challenging to experience a foreign education system, as well as a male-dominated field of study. Being halfway around the world from home was another challenge.
“They put a lot of emphasis on expressing your views, being more creative, and thinking beyond what is being taught,” she said.
She also said the education system at Virginia Tech demanded consistency, with exams twice a week during the semesters being fairly common. That made having a social life difficult as assignments and studying took more time.
However, Irdina says she was able to maintain a proper level of self care by getting enough sleep, exercising and eating homecooked meals.
Since graduation, she has returned to Malaysia and is currently awaiting a placement to start her career at Tenaga Nasional Berhad.
Mana-Mana Ahli Parlimen (MP) yang menukar parti hendaklah meletak jawatan dan kembali kepada rakyat dalam pilihan raya kecil untuk mendapatkan mandat baru, kata pakar undang-undang Profesor Emeritus Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi.
Penyandang Kursi Tunku Abdul Rahman Fakulti Undang-Undang Universiti Malaya itu berkata pada pandangan peribadinya, ia adalah cadangan yang akan diutarakan beliau jika Ahli Parlimen melompat ke parti lain.
“Mungkin beliau (MP) mempunyai bantahan dari segi moral dan ideologi yang jujur mengenai hala tuju partinya tetapi dalam kes itu, beliau perlu kembali kepada pengundinya dan mengucapkan “terima kasih kerana mengundi saya sebelum ini, kini saya memakai songkok baharu dan anda perlu percayakan saya sekali lagi mengenai sebab saya keluar parti dan saya minta anda berikan saya mandat baharu.”
“Bagaimanapun, cadangan ini memerlukan pemansuhan Perkara 48, Fasal 6 (Perlembagaan Persekutuan) kerana ia menyatakan bahawa jika mana-mana MP meletak jawatan, maka untuk tempoh lima tahun akan datang beliau hilang kelayakan bertanding mana-mana kerusi Parlimen. Jadi kita memerlukan pindaan Perlembagaan kepada Perkara 48, Fasal 6 serta Perkara 10,” katanya dalam program The Nation bertajuk Undang-Undang Anti Lompat Parti yang disiarkan oleh Bernama TV hari ini.
Perkara 10 Perlembagaan Persekutuan menyentuh mengenai kebebasan bercakap, berhimpun dan berpersatuan.
Menurut Shad Saleem, isu lompat parti bukanlah perkara baharu di negara ini kerana perbuatan berpaling tadah telah menyebabkan kejatuhan kerajaan antaranya di Terengganu seawal tahun 1962, Sarawak (1966), Kelantan (1977) dan Kerajaan Persekutuan dua tahun lepas sehingga menyebabkan ketidakstabilan yang kronik kepada negara.
Beliau berkata berkata terdapat kira-kira 41 daripada 193 negara yang mempunyai undang-undang antipembelotan antaranya India, Singapura serta Israel dan di Malaysia, negeri Sabah, Kelantan dan Pulau Pinang yang telah cuba bereksperimen dengan undang-undang itu.
“Saya telah membaca dengan agak bimbang satu cadangan yang amat ekstrem di Malaysia bahawa menukar kem setengah jalan perlu dijadikan kesalahan pilihan raya di bawah Perkara 48 dan kerusi perlu dikosongkan serta hilang kelayakan untuk bertanding selama lima tahun. Saya tidak fikir kita perlu membawa undang-undang jenayah ke dalam isu ini,” katanya.
Alternatif kedua pula ialah jika seorang MP keluar parti, mengundi menentang parti atau menentang parti dalam isu penting, maka parti boleh memaklumkan Speaker bahawa MP itu bukan lagi ahli parti tersebut.
Shad Saleem juga berkata ini bermakna cadangan sedemikian adalah bertujuan mengukuhkan perpaduan parti yang kemudian menjadi hasrat Perlembagaan namun kelemahannya ialah ia akan memberikan kepimpinan parti terlalu banyak kuasa yang menyebabkan mana-mana ahli parti tidak dapat bersuara atau mencabar pemimpin parti.
“Masalahnya ialah jika parti tidak mempunyai kuasa untuk mengambil tindakan terhadap seorang MP, maka saya dimaklumkan oleh sesetengah pihak bahawa apa yang MP itu boleh lakukan ialah kekal bersama parti secara rasmi namun teruskan mengundi menentangnya sehingga mungkin menyebabkan parti itu tewas atas undi percaya.
“Malangnya, tidak akan ada penyelesaian yang sempurna, seperti dalam kehidupan, jadi dalam isu undang-undang, kita perlu mengambil jalan tengah dan mencapai keputusan yang paling kurang merugikan,” katanya.
Satu sidang khas Parlimen untuk membentang dan membahaskan Rang Undang-Undang Perlembagaan (Pindaan) (No. 3) 2022 akan diadakan esok yang membabitkan penggubalan punca kuasa di bawah Perkara 10 Perlembagaan Persekutuan bagi membolehkan akta baharu bagi melarang MP menukar parti digubal.
Bagaimanapun, Rang Undang-Undang Perlembagaan (Pindaan) berkaitan Anti Lompat Parti, yang dijadual dibentang, dibahas dan diluluskan pada sidang khas itu telah ditangguhkan kepada satu lagi sidang khas Parlimen yang akan ditentukan kelak.
Tiada lagi kelibat Will Smith untuk mewarnai anugerah Oscars untuk tempoh 10 tahun akan mendatang.
Hal itu kerana pengendali anugerah berprestij terbabit mengenakan larangan ke atas pelakon handalan tersebut selepas dia bertindak ‘terlampau’ menampar rakan aktor, Chris Rock, baru-baru ini.
Lembaga yang mengendalikan Anugerah Academy membuat keputusan tersebut dalam mesyuarat yang diadakan seminggu selepas insiden mengejutkan itu berlaku dan mengejutkan jutaan orang di seluruh dunia.
Sebelum itu Smith menarik diri daripada lembaga tersebut.
Presiden lembaga itu David Rubih, adn ketua pegawai eksekutifnya, Dawn Hudson, berkata majlis Oscars ke-94 itu dianjurkan untuk menghargai komuniti perfileman yang melakukan tugas cemerlang pada tahun lalu.
“Bagaimanapun detik tersebut disuramkan tindakan tidak boleh diterima serta membahayakan oleh Smith di atas pentas,” katanya mereka dalam kenyataan hari ini.
Majlis Oscars ke-94 berlangsung dengan gemilang pada 28 Mac lalu sehinggalah Rock – yang terkenal dengan jenakanya yang kadang-kadang dianggap melampau – menjadikan isteri Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, sebagai bahan gurauan.
Smith, 53, kemudian menaiki pentas dan menampar Rock. Awalnya orang ramai menyangka ia sekadar drama yang dirancang terlebih awal.
Bagaimanapun beberapa detik kemudian didapati kejadian tersebut – yang dipancarkan secara langsung ke seluruh dunia – memang berlaku spontan. Smith kemudian mengeluarkan kenyataan meminta maaf kepada Rock dan Academy.
Pada majlis sama, Smith juga memenangi anugerah pelakon lelaki terbaik melalui filem King Richard.
Sementara itu mengulas hukuman yang dikenakan ke atasnya, Smith berkata, dia menghormati ketetapan Adacemy tersebut.
Di sebalik larangan selama 10 tahun itu, Academy tidak menyatakan sama ada Smith masih boleh dicalonkan untuk sebarang kategori dalam tempoh berkenaan.
Akhir tahun ini filem terbaru Smith, Emancipation, akan mula ditayangkan. Filem aksi thriller itu mengisahkan kehidupan seorang lelaki yang melarikan diri daripada perhambaan.
Malaysian music fans rejoice as American rapper Russ will be returning to perform in Malaysia this November.
The 29-year-old is slated to perform at the Sunway Lagoon Surf Beach on November 3 in conjunction with his The Journey Is Everything world tour presented by Good Vibes.
O Relax, an app offered for free along with ColorOS 12.1 on the latest launched flagship OPPO Find X5 series, offers a peaceful sanctuary on mobile phone — a private meditation space where users can take time out to enjoy relaxing sounds and relieve stress.
The power of sound
There have been various studies that indicate sound is intrinsically linked to people’s emotional wellbeing and can have a big impact on releasing stress. As an industry leader in sound technology, with a rich history in audio production, OPPO knows the impact that sound can have on users’ feelings and emotions, ever since it released its first MP3 player in 2005. That’s what makes O Relax such an important feature, and why it’s been built into ColorOS 12.1 in Find X5 series.
Through a combination of audio-visual-haptic feedback, O Relax provides users with multi-sensory experience. This not only deepens the connection to the audio they are hearing, but also offers things to see, touch and feel, across all features of the app.
Explore the city through sound
One of O Relax’s key features is Sounds of the City, which offers users something that can’t be found in any other app. So far, O Relax has recorded sound samples of the day-to-day occurrences in six iconic cities around the world. Whether it’s the sound of busy markets in Bangkok or the breeze through the trees in Reykjavik, O Relax transports its users to the heart of these cities with their own unique soundscape.
OPPO has also encouraged its users to share the sounds that reflect their memories or favourite things about their city, to create user-inspired soundtracks. The first of these was Chengdu in China.
Not just that, but with a digital map on screen that helps users to visualise exactly where the sounds were captured, Sound of the City helps users to deepen their connection and experience with the city while listening to the sound.
Through a combination of sound, vision and innovation, Sounds of the City aims to take people away from their current moment, and to feel reinvigorated through the realm of discovery and exploration.
Personalized sound experience
Alongside Sounds of the City, O Relax also offers a variety of comforting music tracks, and the sounds of white noise in nature, such as the sound of rain or waves, to help deliver those moments of calm.
All of O Relax’s sounds and soundtracks are chosen and produced by OPPO’s master tuner, who conducts experiments on the different combinations of tone, rhythm and audible frequencies to find the perfect balance. Additionally, O Relax offers multi-track mixing to create the perfect personalized sound experience for its users.
This extensive ability for customisation and personalisation is reflected in the design philosophy of ColorOS, which places a huge emphasis on the importance of the user experience and personalising their experience when using the phone.
Experience a deeper connection
Through the combination of audio and haptic feedback, O Relax’s deep breathing exercises and relaxation games are designed for users to feel calm. With the strongest haptic motor available on an Android device today, Find X5 Pro provides with a better O Relax user experience than ever before, generating natural, crisp and quiet feedback with every touch and delivering a further dimension to the audio and visual experience.
However, O Relax doesn’t stop there. With precise placement and movement of individual sounds, the addition of Dolby Atmos panoramic audio helps to place a listener at the heart of the sound for an even more powerful and moving experience, offering breathtaking sound quality, with impressive clarity, richness and detail like no other.
With O Relax, OPPO brings together this human-centric approach with its passion for audio to create an experience that brings a much-needed moment of calm back to busy lives.
*Note：The availability of O-Relax may vary among reigons.
KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 — Traditional attire, such as the baju kurung and kebaya with simple or minimalist details continues to be the choice of many for this coming Eid celebration.
Although these traditional clothing is now given a modern touch, just like the robes and kaftans, the baju kurung and kebaya have a special and distinctive value for Aidilfitri.
Sharing her views on this year’s fashion choices, Tujoh Kuntom clothing brand founder Amelin Asri said the Pahang baju kurung was among the highest in demand and sales from her collection.
“Many people like the Pahang baju kurung because of its cutting, but we also highlight the classic concept, but minimal, according to current trend, which is simple, plain and comfortable, but still looks expensive,” she said when contacted by Bernama.
Amelin said she started producing her clothing collection for this year’s Eid clothes since early last month and had so far produced more than 15,000 pairs, with the price starting from RM169 a pair.
A well-known fashion designer and owner of Azura Couture boutique, Azura Mazaruddin described this year’s trend for Raya clothing as ‘back to basic’ with most ready-to-wear clothing offered by various brands comprising baju kurung, like the kurung riau, and baju kebaya.
“But there are also many who choose the ‘modern look’, but still retain the traditional elements,” she said.
Azura also found bold colours, like orange, turquoise and red heart to be the trend this year.
D’na Risik boutique owner Noralina Amiruddin, who operates at Pertama Complex, said embroidery techniques such as patch embroidery, were now back in demand.
“Three years ago, many people ordered ‘gowns, but this year many opt for traditional and classic baju kurung,” she said.
Sharing Noralina’s view is Ezuwan Ismail, also a well-known fashion designer, who said that today’s society preferred practical designs by prioritising comfort in fashion.
“Now, people don’t like to wear clothes that are too heavy or ‘glamorous’. That era is over. Now, clothing with a simple style is an option. Even so, they still look elegant and exclusive,” he said, adding that pastel colours will still dominate this Eid.
Ezuwan said for men, the baju Melayu cekak musang and the baju Melayu teluk belanga continued to be the choice of those who like neat style, but want to look smart on Eid. — Bernama
A survey by Bernama on several shopping portals also found that apart from traditional clothes, modern or contemporary baju kurung in various pastel colours, as well as dark shades, such as heart red, also dominated the market. — Bernama
Golongan belia berusia 18 hingga 20 tahun dan pelajar sepenuh masa di institut pengajian tinggi (IPT) tempatan yang layak, boleh mendaftar untuk menerima RM150 dalam bentuk kredit e-tunai di bawah program ePemula, mulai esok.
Kementerian Kewangan (MOF) dalam kenyataan, hari ini, memaklumkan kredit e-tunai itu adalah melalui satu daripada empat penyedia perkhidmatan iaitu BigPay, GrabPay, ShopeePay dan Touch ‘n Go eWallet.
“Selain RM150 dalam bentuk kredit e-tunai daripada kerajaan, penyedia perkhidmatan e-tunai iaitu BigPay, GrabPay, ShopeePay dan Touch ‘n Go eWallet juga akan memberi insentif tambahan dalam bentuk cashback, baucar, mata terkumpul atau coins sepanjang tempoh program ini,” katanya.
Menurut kenyataan itu, tempoh pendaftaran dan tuntutan ePemula akan bermula esok hingga 1 Jun ini, manakala kredit ePemula serta manfaat padanan daripada penyedia perkhidmatan e-tunai itu boleh dibelanjakan sehingga 10 Jun 2022.
ePemula akan dilancarkan secara rasmi oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob pada 15 April
Program ePemula terbuka kepada warganegara Malaysia yang mencapai umur 18 ke 20 tahun pada 2022 (lahir pada 2002 hingga 2004) atau pelajar sepenuh masa di peringkat diploma atau Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia Tahap 4 (SKM4) dan ke atas di IPT tempatan yang berdaftar, selain data belia akan disemak silang dengan IPT tempatan berdaftar dan pangkalan data kerajaan yang berkenaan.
Menurut MOF, kerajaan memperuntukkan RM300 juta bagi e-tunai bernilai RM150 di bawah program ePemula untuk belia 18 hingga 20 tahun dan pelajar sepenuh masa di IPT tempatan yang layak menerusi Belanjawan 2022.
PENANG is renowned for its nasi kandar cuisine as, after all, the tasty treat of rice with spicy dishes originated from the tiny island decades ago.
But little do tourists know that the original Malay cuisine is also generating its fan base here over the years.
Hameediyah is widely recognised as the nation’s oldest nasi kandar restaurant.
According to legend, the original shoulder-carried (kandar) dishes began under a tree in an open field on Campbell Street in 1907.
But did you know that Penang also has many interesting Malay restaurants that serve a variety of tasty dishes, especially during Ramadan.
Malays have historically been living in the “Pearl of the Orient” for years before it was discovered by seafarer Francis Light in 1786.
The Penang Malay Association, founded in 1927, is regarded as the oldest socio-economic organisation for the community in the country. And with customs, comes the Malay cuisine with its distinctive influences from the Middle East, Indonesia, the ancient Pattani kingdom in southern Thai and Cambodia, too.
Here are five reputable Malay eateries in Penang:
1. Rumah Kacha (main photo)
Address: Hin Bus Depot. No 31a, Jalan Gurdwara, Penang
Nasi Arab with grilled lamb and Nasi Arab with roasted chicken by Rumah Kacha (left); the path leading to the cafe.
As the name suggests, the restaurant, built nearly 50% using glass, serves a variety of local and western food.
In conjunction with Ramadan, Rumah Kacha presents its special menu of Nasi Arab with roasted chicken and Nasi Arab with grilled lamb.
2. The Table
Address: No 27, Lebuh Carnarvon, Penang
The Table facade (left) and the Nasi Kerabu on the menu.The Table seen from across the road.
This halal cafe located in the heart of George Town is well known for its varied menu of dishes, including delicious cakes and coffee.
During the fasting month, The Table as usual serves a special menu comprising Nasi Ayam Percik, Nasi Goreng Garlic with grilled chicken, buttermilk chicken with rice, Nasi Kerabu, and various other delectable dishes.
3. Bricklin Cafe by Rasta Brew Co
Address: No 31a, Jalan Gurdwara, Penang
Kalio Grilled Chicken with Nasi Minyak by Bricklin Cafe (left) and the interior of the cafe.
This hipster cafe with a cosy atmosphere is often the choice of young people and tourists to relax. In Ramadan, the cafe features a promotional menu as low as RM30 per person.
Among the interesting dishes on the menu at Bricklin Cafe are Kalio Grilled Chicken with Nasi Minyak, Aroy Mak Thai Grilled Chicken with Lemongrass Butter Rice, and Mr Chicken Burger.
4. Debob Coffee
Address: No 30, Jalan Perda Selatan, Bandar Perda, Bukit Mertajam
The Qaseh Tray Set by Debob Coffee (left) and its special drinks.
This cafe is often the choice of residents in Seberang Perai to enjoy western food. Besides its reasonable price, this cafe is also an attraction because it has a wide selection of delicious drinks in a special big cup.
In conjunction with this fasting month, Debob shows a difference by serving dishes on a tray, to revive the kampung experience that is disappearing with time.
The Qaseh Tray Set, which is served with four sets of yellow rice, two sets of grilled chicken, two sets of grilled lamb, and one fish fillet, would bring back the nostalgia of eating together with the family.
5. Lomaq Coffee
Address: Hala Kalui, Seberang Jaya.
The interiors of Lomaq Coffee.
If you want to find variety and enjoy spicy Negeri Sembilan cuisine in Penang, Lomaq Coffee is the answer.
During the fasting month, Lomaq Coffee features a food buffet with over 50 dishes at RM45.90 for adults, and RM20.90 for children. – The Vibes, April 10, 2022
