Batu Pahat religious schools to close over haze

 

All religious schools and private Islamic education institutions under the Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JAINJ) in Batu Pahat will be closed tomorrow following very unhealthy air quality.- PIC CREDIT: FB/jainjohor

BATU PAHAT: All religious schools and private Islamic education institutions under the Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JAINJ) in Batu Pahat will be closed tomorrow following very unhealthy air quality.

State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said the closure involved 106 Sekolah Rendah Agama Bersepadu state religious schools and 53 private Islamic institutions.

He said the move followed a notification from the Batu Pahat district office that air quality in the district was at the very unhealthy level, with the Air Pollutant Index (API) exceeding 200.

"The directive is in line with the National Haze Action Plan to prioritise the safety and health of pupils and educators.

"Any decision on the reopening of schools and institutions will depend on the current air quality and official instructions from the authorities.

"Schools must also implement Home-Based Teaching and Learning if directed by the JAINJ Islamic Education Division or the Batu Pahat District Islamic Education Office.

"The cooperation of all parties is greatly appreciated in ensuring the safety, health and wellbeing of pupils and educators throughout the haze," he said.

API readings between 101 and 200 are classified as unhealthy, while readings between 51 and 100 are considered moderate. - NST

Residents in Lahad Datu, Tawau startled by tremors

 

The 5.0-magnitude earthquake that struck the waters off Sandakan at 9.11pm tonight was felt by residents in Lahad Datu and Tawau, with several describing brief but noticeable tremors. - NSTP file pic

LAHAD DATU: The 5.0-magnitude earthquake that struck the waters off Sandakan at 9.11pm tonight was felt by residents in Lahad Datu and Tawau, with several describing brief but noticeable tremors.

Nurse Nur Damia Hanafi, 34, from Lahad Datu, said she felt the shaking while on her way home.

"I was stopped at a red light when I suddenly felt the car shaking.

"I thought someone was shaking the car from outside, but the tremor lasted only briefly. I continued my journey home and only later found out that an earthquake had occurred," she told Bernama.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) said the epicentre was located about 48 kilometres east of Lahad Datu, at coordinates 4.9 degrees North and 118.7 degrees East, at a depth of 10 kilometres.

Public servant Norusidah Ruslan, 45, also from Lahad Datu, said she noticed the tremor while working on diamond embroidery and saw the embroidered clothes hanging nearby sway.

"I thought I was feeling dizzy, but when I saw the clothes moving, I realised the shaking was getting stronger.

"This was my first experience of an earthquake. I panicked and called my husband, who was at a friend's house, to check on his safety and ask whether the tremor had been felt elsewhere," she said.

Housewife Nur Medina Abdullah, 40, said she was cleaning the kitchen when she felt the shaking for several seconds.

"At first I thought I was dizzy. I even wondered if there was something supernatural because I was alone in the kitchen. It turned out to be the tremor," said the Lahad Datu resident

The tremor was also felt in Tawau.

E-hailing driver Muhd Andri Sapar, 35, said he felt the tremor for about eight seconds while having a drink with a friend at a hotel in the town.

"The tremor felt strong but was brief. I was sitting and chatting with my friend when suddenly everything started to sway and the water in the glass was sloshing," he said.

Housewife Siti Amilah Terence, 35, said she and her husband also experienced the tremor while leaving a mobile phone shop in Tawau.

"We felt the movement but it did not last long. I felt unsteady and dizzy during the tremor," she said.

– BERNAMA

Dr M visits late wife Dr Siti Hasmah's grave with Abdul Hadi

 

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang visited the grave of the late Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali at Pusara Negara in Precinct 20, Putrajaya. - PIC CREDIT: FB/TunDrMahathir

KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang visited the grave of the late Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali at Pusara Negara in Precinct 20, Putrajaya.

The visit was shared on Dr Mahathir's Facebook page, along with several photographs.

The photographs showed Dr Mahathir laying flowers and praying at his wife's grave.

Abdul Hadi was also greeted by her son, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, at the graveside.

Dr Siti Hasmah died at the National Heart Institute on Sept 28.

She was accorded funeral honours befitting a national dignitary. - NST

Melaka polls: Dira wants to defend Rim seat but leaves decision to BN leadership

 

Khaidhirah, the daughter of Melaka’s eighth chief minister, the late Datuk Seri Abu Zahar Ithnin, became the first celebrity to become an elected representative after winning the Rim state seat in the 2021 Melaka state election.

PETALING JAYA: Rim state assemblyman Datuk Khaidhirah Abu Zahar, better known as YB Dira, has set no conditions regarding the seat she would contest should she again be given the trust to stand as a Barisan Nasional candidate in the Melaka state election.

Khaidhirah said she had expressed her intention to defend the Rim state seat but would leave it to the party leadership to make the best decision.

“I have expressed my wish to offer myself to contest in the same seat. I do not dare to make a decision or set any conditions.

"As leaders, we must learn to be good followers. If it is decided that I have to contest elsewhere, then I will contest elsewhere,” she told Sinar Harian.

She said she still has major plans and vision for the Rim constituency.

“I want this constituency to be better known for its own unique characteristics. I see values that have yet to be highlighted, including local products and tourism potential.

"It does not need to become a town, but we can retain its village character while providing a much better quality of life.

"I also want children in this area to be given more opportunities in education, sports, the arts and other fields, so that they can go further,” she said.

She said her almost five years of experience as an elected representative had also changed the way she works compared with when she first contested the 2021 Melaka state election.

One of the main challenges then, she said, was convincing the public that her background as an actress did not prevent her from becoming a leader capable of helping to resolve their problems.

“People think that I am an artiste, so if I win, it is because I am an artiste or because of my looks.

"I do not want to be labelled as someone who merely sells her looks or name. I want to be known as a leader who can help them, including in resolving problems that may seem small to others but are significant to them,” she said.

Khaidhirah said she was comfortable maintaining her simple image, including the square headscarf and baju kurung that have become part of her identity.

She said she had never adopted a particular style solely to build a political image, instead believing in simplicity.

“I believe that if we are confident, God willing, people will have confidence in us too. If I wear beautiful clothes but am not confident myself, how can I convince others?

"I am a minimalist and I like simple things. I have never set a particular trend so that people would recognise me by this or that style,” she said.

Khaidhirah, the daughter of Melaka’s eighth chief minister, the late Datuk Seri Abu Zahar Ithnin, became the first celebrity to become an elected representative after winning the Rim state seat in the 2021 Melaka state election.

She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Universiti Teknologi Mara and completed a Master’s degree in Public Policy at Universiti Malaya in 2024.

In the previous state election, Khaidhirah won with a majority of 1,327 votes, securing 4,037 votes against two other candidates. Azalina Abdul Rahman of Perikatan Nasional received 2,710 votes, while Prasanth Kumar of Pakatan Harapan secured 2,163. - Star

Berkat Deepavali: RM30mil to help Indian entrepreneurs, says Sim

 

BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry has allocated RM30mil under the Berkat Deepavali People's Business Festival Financing Scheme to help Indian entrepreneurs prepare their businesses ahead of the festival next month.

Its minister Steven Sim said the special financing scheme, implemented through the National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (Tekun), offers financing of up to RM30,000, with the interest rate being profit rate of three per cent per annum and a repayment tenure of up to 12 months.

He said the facility was particularly important for small traders who needed short-term working capital to increase their stock and make preparations for the festive season.

"Deepavali is now just one month away, so I am announcing the Berkat Deepavali scheme for Indian entrepreneurs and traders involved in Deepavali-related businesses.

"With an allocation of RM30mil, financing of up to RM30,000 and a rate of 3%, we hope Deepavali entrepreneurs, Deepavali bazaar operators and Little India traders can benefit from this allocation,” he told reporters after attending the Madani Kita Programme Bukit Mertajam at the Santuari Business Centre here on Saturday (Oct 3).

Sim said the financing could be used as additional working capital, particularly by small traders and hawkers in the food and beverage, clothing, and Deepavali-related equipment and supplies sectors.

He said Berkat Deepavali is open from Saturday until Nov 8, and applications can be made through the Tekun Online Application System or at Tekun Nasional branch offices nationwide.

The scheme is open to Malaysian citizens from the Indian community aged between 18 and 65, while existing Tekun entrepreneurs may also apply, provided the total financing received does not exceed RM100,000.

On the approval process, Sim said his ministry had stipulated that decisions on financing applications below RM100,000 must be made within seven days. The relevant agencies have also been instructed to expedite and facilitate Berkat Deepavali applications.

He said his ministry would also assist applicants with poor credit records by considering other factors, including cash flow and alternative credit assessment methods. However, each application would remain subject to proper auditing and governance.

Previously, under the Ramadan People's Business Financing Scheme (Barakat) held in conjunction with Aidilfitri from February to March, Tekun Nasional disbursed RM35mil to 5,590 entrepreneurs, exceeding the initial allocation of RM30mil. — Bernama

Kenderaan 4×4 dipercayai punca kebakaran di parkir pusat beli-belah, kata bomba

 Sebelum ini tular di media sosial dakwaan bahawa kejadian berpunca daripada EV.

Tangkap layar video tular tunjuk kebakaran di kawasan tempat letak kenderaan bawah tanah di sebuah pusat beli-belah di Johor Bahru, yang tular di media sosial.

PETALING JAYA:

Kebakaran di tempat letak kenderaan bawah tanah aras dua sebuah pusat beli-belah di Johor Bahru petang tadi dipercayai berpunca daripada sebuah kenderaan pacuan empat roda (4×4), sekali gus menepis spekulasi tular di media sosial yang mengaitkan kejadian itu dengan kenderaan elektrik (EV).

Ketua Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat (BBP) Larkin Mohd Suhaimi Abdul Jamal berkata, pihaknya menerima panggilan kecemasan pada 3.40 petang sebelum jentera tiba di lokasi enam minit kemudian.

Beliau berkata, operasi itu melibatkan 52 anggota daripada BBP Larkin, BBP Tebrau, BBP Kempas dan Pasukan Bomba Sukarela (PBS) Ulu Tiram, selain Pasukan Tindakan Kecemasan (ERT) pusat beli-belah itu.

“Daripada 11 kenderaan yang terjejas, lapan daripadanya mengalami kemusnahan dianggarkan antara 80 hingga 90%, dua terjejas 30 hingga 40%, manakala sebuah lagi rosak kira-kira 10%,” katanya pada sidang media di lokasi kejadian hari ini, lapor Bernama.

Mohd Suhaimi berkata, pusat beli-belah itu kembali beroperasi seperti biasa kira-kira 7 malam selepas ditutup sementara susulan kebakaran itu.

Akibat kejadian itu, dilaporkan empat individu termasuk seorang warga Singapura mengalami sesak nafas.

Bagaimanapun, menurut Mohd Suhaimi, seorang mangsa dihantar ke Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) untuk rawatan lanjut dan dilaporkan berada dalam keadaan stabil.

Beliau menambah, kawasan tempat letak kenderaan bawah tanah yang terjejas masih ditutup bagi membolehkan Unit Forensik menjalankan siasatan untuk mengenal pasti punca sebenar kebakaran serta menganggarkan nilai kerugian.

Terdahulu, beberapa rakaman video dan gambar tular di media sosial memaparkan kepulan asap tebal keluar dari bangunan itu, selain pengunjung serta pekerja dilihat bergegas meninggalkan premis. - FMT

NIISe to have real-time data from Interpol, police, LHDN, PTPTN

 Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail says the data sharing will help the immigration department screen travellers leaving and entering the country.

In September last year, it was reported that LHDN imposed a travel ban on 209,000 taxpayers after they failed to pay their taxes while PTPTN blacklisted nearly 3,000 borrowers for failing to repay their education loans. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

The immigration department will soon have access to real-time data from other agencies like the Interpol, police, prisons department, and Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) to screen travellers arriving and exiting the country.

Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the data would be made available under the National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe), which the immigration department is progressively transitioning to from the current MyIMMs system.

“The NIISe system will be improved in terms of preliminary screenings, traveller risk assessment profiling as well as the integration and sharing of real-time data between various agencies,” he said.

In a written parliamentary reply, Saifuddin said data from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) and transport ministry would also be consolidated under the NIISe system to help the immigration department guard the nation’s borders.

In the long term, he said, the government would develop a national border control system based on artificial intelligence and data analytics to handle future security challenges.

“This will enable operations to be carried out without supervision, the swift channelling of information in real time, and continuous round-the-clock surveillance to protect our land and maritime borders.

“This system is part of the ministry’s plans, and we are still in the midst of refining its details,” said the minister.

In September last year, it was reported that LHDN banned around 209,000 taxpayers from travelling for failing to pay their taxes, while PTPTN blacklisted nearly 3,000 borrowers for failing to repay their education loans. - FMT