Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announcing that the fourth phase of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) payments will be disbursed from today. NSTP/MOHAMAD SHAHRIL BADRI SAALI
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced that the fourth phase of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) payments will be disbursed from today.
He said the RM1.1 billion in assistance would benefit more than five million people, including 630,000 recipients from the Indian community.
Anwar said the Indian community should not view assistance channelled through the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) as its only source of support.
"I want to emphasise this so everyone understands: Malays, Chinese, Indians, Orang Asli, Sikhs — everyone is included."And for the Indian community specifically, there are 630,000 STR recipients," he said at the Mega Bazaar Deepavali 2026 in Brickfields. - NST
In Indian culture, "Landu" is a common typographical variation of Laddu (also spelled Laddoo or Ladoo). As frequently highlighted in discussions on social media thatthe laddu is considered the quintessential sweet of Indian celebrations.
The custom of distributing laddus as a preferred wedding giveaway or favor rests on several deeply ingrained cultural, religious, and practical reasons:
Symbol of Auspiciousness and Blessings
Offering to Deities: In Hindu tradition, laddus are the ultimate prasad (sacred offering). They are famously known as the favorite food of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. Distributing them serves as a prayer for a hurdle-free life for the newlyweds.
Symbol of Unity and Completeness: The perfectly spherical shape of the laddu represents wholeness, eternity, and completeness. Gifting a box of laddus symbolizes a wish for a well-rounded, cohesive, and unbroken bond between the new couple and their families.
Practicality and Shelf Life
Excellent Longevity: Unlike delicate milk-based Indian sweets (like Rasmalai or Chamcham) that spoil quickly, traditional laddus (such as Besan, Boondi, or Motichoor) have a remarkably long shelf life. They do not require refrigeration, making them easy to transport.
Travel-Friendly Packaging: Because laddus are dense and hold their shape well, they survive the logistics of wedding distribution, allowing out-of-town guests to carry them home safely without making a mess.
Deep-Rooted Cultural Traditions
Universal Pan-Indian Appeal: Every single region in India has its own signature variation—from Motichoor in the north to Coconut Laddus in the south. They unite distinct cultures under a single, globally recognized symbol of happiness.
The "Shaadi ka Laddoo" Metaphor: The sweet is so deeply intertwined with matrimony that it has inspired a popular Indian proverb: "Shaadi ka laddoo; jo khaye woh pachtaye, jo na khaye woh bhi pachtaye" (Marriage is like a sweet laddoo; those who taste it regret it, and those who don't taste it regret it too!)
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OPTIMISTIC Malaysians have appealed to their compatriots against wholesomely believing in fearmongers who are painting a horrific picture of the global banking system under siege from cyberattacks and is in the verge of collapsing.
Calling for calm, Threader nssyahera (@nssyahera_) warned the public against withdrawing their savings all at once due to “panic” from a potential cyberattack.
“If everyone tries to withdraw all their money, our country’s banking (system) could collapse,” the netizen who is “busy shaping the future generations” penned in a post.
“Instead of waiting for a cyberattack to happen, we’ve already attacked our own country.”
Instead of incessantly panicking, the poster listed down a self-care guide that every family can adhere to:
Prepare basic sources: This is solely in view of the weather. When there’s a disaster like flood, most supplies cannot reach certain areas. Don’t overthink it too much.
Take care of your health: Refer the reason above.
Avoid sharing personal information/photos: This is especially those involving privacy to AI (artificial intelligence) engines. Avoid AI if there is no such urgency.
Avoid clicking on any suspicious links through any platforms including affiliate links on Threads for the time being.
Keep tabs on current information inside and outside the country.
Editor’s Note: The alarm bells follow warning from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday (Nov 3) that Malaysia is among the countries considered potential targets of cyberattacks, alluding to moves by several countries, including the European Union (EU), Canada and Japan advising their citizens to maintain food stocks.
He cited an uncertain international situation following cyberattacks abroad that had shut down Belgium’s national tax portal, compromised the identity records of almost nine million Danes, disrupted the US Federal Election Commission’s filing system for 41 hours and exposed the personal records of more than 100,000 Japanese police personnel.
‘The world has survived COVID-19’
Expressing a similar sentiment, ساره (@sarahzmri) chastised an apparent fellow Threader for fearmongering without allowing netizens to reply to his so-called “friendly reminder”.
“DON’T CREATE A PANIC POST. If everyone withdraws all their cash, there’ll be adverse spill-over effect on our economy,” cautioned the lifestyle-centric influencer.
“Stock prices will fall, EPF (Employees Provident Fund) and Tabung Haji dividends, too, will be affected. Then there’s a food shortage, everything will become scarce because everyone rushes to stock up on goods. Such an unnecessary panic trigger. ”
Independent video journalist Ahmad Faezal (@ahmadfaezal4) revealed that he had just ticked off “someone for fearmongering and the said post has since been deleted”.
“To those claiming that ‘PMX told us to stock up on three to 10 days’ worth of food’, did you actually listen to the full statement? That part was just a CLIPPED VIDEO from a summary of measures taken by European governments,” clarified the geopolitical/economic history buff.
Malaysia still has an adequate food supply; however, if panic buying leads to waste, this will disrupt the balance of supply!
So, there’s no need to panic. We survived a pandemic that claimed 7.1 million lives. By His grace, we can survive anything.
Should Malaysians start panicking?
Earlier, some netizens with good intentions have purportedly jumped into the panic bandwagon as they urged Malaysians to prepare for potential man-made calamities in the days ahead.
“A lot of countries are in the midst of preparing for cyberattacks and so, too, is Malaysia,” warned self-proclaimed “PhD in RageBait” Neeraj Manogaran (@neerajmano).
I guess it’s time we keep our monies in cash form from now. CASH IS KING always. Withdraw money from banks and keep them safely. Stock canned foods as well in case who knows what happens.
Another presumably AI geek @ae.am.man also sent some ‘shock waves’ on the need “to stop feeding important data to AI” given the banking system has been compromised in some countries.
“PMX has issued a statement that Malaysia is under cyberattack threat. Many countries have been affected; in South Korea, their banking system was hacked,” he cautioned.
“Guess what’s involved? Yup, AI. Stop feeding important data to AI. Be careful with any suspicious thing on the Internet because now they (hackers) use AI tools in their cyberattack activities.”
This cautionary note somehow triggered claims that some major firms and even banks have “kept mum despite being victims of cyberattacks”.
Can’t afford to make a fuss lest this will trigger chaos. Banks are full with depositors rushing to withdraw money. Especially uncles and aunties who are IT illiterate but have a lot of pension money in banks,” he further pressed the panic button.
Now that PMX has mentioned of Malaysia being targeted, what does that tell you?
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