Japan’s PM candidate Kishida cautious about cutting sales tax

Fumio Kishida says Japan must continue to take fiscal and monetary measures to support the economy. (Reuters pic)

TOKYO: Fumio Kishida, a senior Japanese ruling party official seen as among candidates to become next prime minister, on Monday voiced caution over the idea of cutting the sales tax rate to help the economy weather the hit from the coronavirus pandemic.

“The sales tax is a source of revenue to pay for Japan’s social welfare burden…,” Kishida told a television programme when asked if he opposed cutting it from the current 10% rate.

“Cutting the tax rate would burden small and midsize companies with additional costs” such as adjusting their cashier systems to adapt to a new tax rate, he said.

The government’s decision to raise the sales tax to 10% from 8% in October last year pushed Japan’s economy into recession, even before Covid-19 hammered consumption and exports this year.

Kishida said Japan must continue to take fiscal and monetary measures to support the economy, as demand won’t bounce back strongly due to the expected prolonged battle with Covid-19.

A group of ruling party lawmakers have recently called on the government to consider cutting the sales tax to cushion the pandemic’s blow on households – an idea senior government officials have ruled out so far.

Japan has raised the sales tax twice under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration as part of efforts to rein in the country’s huge debt which, at twice the size of its economy, is the biggest among major advanced economies.

Abe’s abrupt announcement on Friday that he was stepping down due to health reasons triggers an election in his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to replace him as party president and then a vote in parliament to elect a new prime minister.

A former foreign minister, Kishida has been widely seen as Abe’s preferred successor but ranks low in voter surveys. He has told supporters he is in the race.

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17th seed Paire withdraws from US Open after testing positive for virus

Paire’s name no longer appears on the list of seeds on the tournament website. (AP pic)

NEW YORK: France’s Benoit Paire has tested positive for Covid-19 and pulled out of the US Open starting on today, French sports daily L’Equipe reported.

Paire, seeded 17th at the Grand Slam event, had been scheduled to play Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak in the first round at Flushing Meadows on Tuesday.

Paire’s name no longer appeared on the list of seeds on the tournament website on Sunday and the men’s draw showed Majchrzak would play Spain’s Marcel Granollers.

A US Tennis Association spokesman said he could “only confirm that a player has tested positive and has been withdrawn”.

The 31-year-old Paire arrived in New York to play the Western & Southern Open last week, a tune-up for the US Open, but he did not complete his first-round match against Croatia’s Borna Coric.

Paire appeared unwell during the match and asked for a doctor in the opening set before retiring in the second while trailing 6-0, 1-0.

L’Equipe reported that fellow Frenchmen Richard Gasquet, Adrian Mannarino, Gregoire Barrere and Edouard Roger Vasselin were also asked to self-isolate in their hotel rooms after Paire’s positive test.

The US Open is being played without fans and in a biosecure bubble due to the pandemic, but several high-ranking players skipped the tournament due to coronavirus concerns.

World No 3 Dominic Thiem told reporters he still felt confident in the level of safety at the event.

“There is no safer place in the world right now than here,” said Thiem.

“Maybe you can lock yourself somewhere in a cave or something, I don’t know, in the middle of the sea. Otherwise, it’s super safe here.

“Still something can happen, as you could see with Benoit. We hope that nobody else is infected,” he added.

Thiem was among those who apologised in June for the way players conducted themselves at Novak Djokovic’s Adria Tour exhibition event after which four players tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

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Merdeka yang dicari

Menjadi seorang Melayu bukanlah takdir semata, barangkali bukan juga satu pilihan. Hatta menjadi seorang Melayu yang mempunyai darah campuran Cina, mungkin juga bukanlah kehendak atau pilihan kita.

Mengapa perlu sombong mendabik dada atas nama kaum sendiri dan sejak bilakah kita perlu berbangga dengan sesuatu yang kita tiada pilihan pada hakikinya?

Suatu ketika dahulu, tempat ini dikenali sebagai Malaysia. Tempat apabila menjelangnya perayaan Deepavali, bangsa Melayu beragama Islam tidak memiliki rasa sangsi untuk mengunjungi rakan Hindu mereka, lalu duduk bersama menikmati thosai yang dicicah dengan kuah kari.

Ketika itu, tiada yang mempersoalkan status halal atau haram daging yang dijadikan juadah kerana semua orang sedia maklum bahawa daging yang tidak halal sememangnya tidak akan disediakan kepada -orang Muslim.

Malah tidak perlu kepada pengesahan halal daripada Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) dek kepercayaan dan keyakinan sesama kaum yang berlainan pada ketika itu.

Suatu ketika dahulu, tempat ini dikenali sebagai Malaysia. Tempat seorang Melayu mesra memanggil tetangganya yang berlainan bangsa dan agama dengan panggilan Uncle, Aunty mahupun Achi.

Tempat di mana seorang Melayu memberikan kepercayaan kepada seorang India mahupun Cina untuk menjaga anak kecilnya semasa ketiadaannya di rumah.

Ketika itu tidak pernah timbul isu serta kerisauan bahawa seorang India mahupun Cina akan memurtadkan anak mereka kepada agama Hindu, Buddha atau Kristian.

Suatu ketika dahulu, tempat ini dikenali sebagai Malaysia. Tempat seorang Melayu Muslim tidak pernah berasa janggal terhadap rumah ibadat lain seperti kuil mahupun gereja.

Ketika itu, setiap kaum dan bangsa memiliki rasa penghormatan yang baik terhadap rumah ibadat agama lain serta patung material Tuhan agama lain, jauh sekali daripada rasa kehinaan.

Pada ketika itu, kita tidak memiliki masalah persefahaman yang melibatkan perkauman, bahkan tidak pernah meletakkan jurang perbezaan antara kita dan mereka seperti “aku seorang Melayu, tanah air ini aku yang punya”, mahupun laungan seperti “aku seorang Cina, aku bukan pendatang asing kerana tanah air ini aku yang majukan”.

Ketika itu, jalinan perhubungan antara Melayu-Muslim, Cina-Buddha dan India-Hindu sangat erat seperti ikatan kekeluargaan. Begitu terasa nilai persaudaraan yang merentas perbezaan bangsa dan agama.

Kepelbagaian kaum, bangsa dan agama di tempat yang bernama Malaysia ini harus kita raikan.

Bukankah selalu diperdengarkan kepada kita bahawa manusia itu harus belajar daripada sejarah. Justeru mengapakah kita tidak pernah melibat kembali kepada sejarah lampau dan pelajari sesuatu daripadanya?

Mengapa tidak kita pandang semula kepada Piagam Sahifah Madinah pada zaman Rasulullah SAW yang merupakan piagam inklusif yang meliputi keseimbangan pelbagai komponen seperti adanya fasal untuk Muslim dan fasal buat mereka yang bukan Muslim?

Dalam sejarah Islam, wadah kepelbagaian muncul dalam bentuk kesepakatan politik Piagam Madinah.

Piagam Madinah adalah suatu bentuk bukti syahadah (penyaksian) yang membuktikan bahawa negara yang terbina boleh dibentuk dengan kesejahteraan, keamanan dan keadilan sekali pun terdapat kepelbagaian dan perbezaan bangsa dan agama.

Piagam ini berjaya menjadi contoh terbaik melangkaui sejarah dunia apabila ia membentuk satu bangsa dalam pengertian ummah siyasiyah berasaskan konsep kewarganegaraan penuh untuk semua.

Prinsip dan nilai yang terkandung dalam piagam inklusif Sahifah Madinah tetap relevan untuk dijadikan formula dan acuan yang baik dalam membina bangsa menurut pengertian ummah siyasiyah.

Dalam konteks Siyasah Islamiyah juga disebutkan bahawa antara wahana utama untuk mencapai takwa adalah dengan berlaku adil.

Justeru, jika menolong seorang Melayu yang susah itu adalah adil, maka itulah takwa.

Demikian juga jika menolong seorang Cina yang susah itu adalah adil, maka itulah takwa.

Hatta jika menolong seorang India atau yang beragama Kristian dan Buddha yang susah itu adalah adil, maka disitulah sebenarnya nilai capaian kepada takwa sepertimana yang disebut oleh Al Quran.

Yang penting adalah tertegaknya keadilan; memberikan hak kepada yang berhak. Nabi SAW turut berpesan; “Fa’ti kulla dhi haqqin haqqah” (Maka kepada setiap yang berhak diberikan haknya).

Demikian itulah budaya kerukunan hidup bersama dalam kepelbagaian.

Justeru kita harus bangkit membuang rasa bangga diri yang melampau terhadap bangsa kita sendiri. Jangan kita binasakan nasib kita dek kerana sikap terlalu mengagungkan keturunan zaman-berzaman.

Dalam konteks kenegaraan, realitinya kita harus menjenamakan diri kita secara universal sebagai seorang warga

Merdeka hari ini, adalah merdeka yang dicari-cari ketulenan identiti bangsa kita. Merdeka yang dicari keabsahan kita dalam memaknai hidup sebagai anak watan.

Ini kerana merdeka hari ini kita simpan untuk dikecapi dan dirasai oleh generasi akan datang.

 

Penulis adalah aktivis sosial Nadi Mahasiswa Malaysia.

Artikel ini adalah pandangan penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili FMT.

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Tasty alternatives to fashionable but polluting foods

Four litres of water are required to grow a single almond. (Rawpixel pic)

We know that avocados are delicious, but just one kilogram of the green fruit requires 1,000 litres of water to produce, which makes them highly polluting.

And avocados are not alone, there are many other fashionable foods that consume too many resources and damage the environment.

Here is a list of some of these and suggested replacements that are just as tasty.

1. Almond milk or water milk?

Milk drinkers who turn vegetarian or vegan often become consumers of almond milk. But they are probably not aware that almond production is far from respectful of environmental constraints.

More than 80% of global production comes from California, a state that has been plagued by decades of drought, which played a key role in recent megafires.

The problem is that a single almond needs four litres of water to grow. So to produce a liter of almond milk, which requires around 250 grams of these precious seeds… Well, you can calculate the amount of water consumed.

But what about replacing almond milk with hazelnut milk? As you might expect, hazel trees remove CO2 from the atmosphere.

Better still, they are pollinated by the wind and not by bees, so you need not worry that their cultivation will result in the extreme use of our much-maligned winged friends, who are currently very much at risk.

The icing on the cake is that hazel trees also grow in temperate climates with abundant water supplies.

2. Rice, king of methane

Yes, we all like maki and pad thai, but rice cultivation produces a greenhouse gas that is much more polluting than CO2: methane.

What ‘s more, rice requires large quantities of water to grow more than 2,000 litres for one kilogram.

What about replacing this cereal grain with one that is grown locally near you?

For instance both barley and spelt are inexpensive, filling and nutritious. Depending on your taste, you might also want to try out the hulled and pearled varieties of barley. Pearled is best for side dishes because it cooks faster.

For its part, spelt is rich in fiber and protein. And you might want to consider freekeh, teff, farro and kamut.

If you haven’t already tried them, these Middle Eastern, African and Anatolian specialties will broaden your culinary horizons.

3. Farmed salmon is toxic

Farmed salmon is not only polluting, it is also toxic. A team of Norwegian researchers has warned that the fish may contain dioxins and PCB, which are known to increase the risk of cancer among pregnant women and young people.

Norwegian authorities have even issued a recommendation not to eat it.

Worse still, salmon farms, which are highly polluting, produce tons of excrement and release large quantities of pesticides and antibiotics into the environment.

In short, this is one food that really ought to be banned and you should have no qualms about dropping it from your diet.

As for a replacement, you could always try wild salmon. Of course, it is more expensive, notably because it is relatively rare, but it is way better than salmon raised in cages.

Wild salmon is easy to recognise from its colour, which is a deeper reddish orange, and by the fact that the flesh is not marbled with fat.

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Meaningful Merdeka Day 2020 celebration, although held under new normal

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah at the Merdeka Day celebration in Putrajaya August 31, 2020. — Bernama pic

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 31 — The National Day 2020 celebration today, though held under the new normal circumstances at Dataran Pahlawan Negara here, is a meaningful one being it at a time when the country is still struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Themed ‘Malaysia Prihatin’ (Malaysia Cares), it is held for the first time at Dataran Pahlawan Negara with attendance limited to dignitaries, security members and personnel involved to ensure the ceremony runs according to the prescribed standard operating procedures (SOP).

Those present are required to have their body temperature scanned and to register their attendance using the MySejahtera application, as well as to wear face mask as a measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the seats for the dignitaries are arranged about a metre apart to ensure physical distancing.

Although Malaysians are not able to witness the country’s momentous moments directly from their usual locations every year, they have the opportunity to watch the anniversary celebration live through television screens and social media sites.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah arrived the location at 8 am to grace the event, following which the National Anthem was played to mark the beginning of the celebration.

Their Majesties were greeted on arrival by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and wife, Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman and Communications and Multimedia Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and his wife, Datin Norlin Shamsul Bahri.

After the national anthem ended, Their Majesties were led to the Dewan Serbaguna Dataran Pahlawan Negara, where His Majesty delivered the royal address, the second royal address by a Head of State on National Day.

The first royal address was by the fourth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Ismail Nasiruddin Shah, which was 50 years ago when the Rukun Negara was declared in 1970.

Before the royal address by Al-Sultan Abdullah, guests at the Dewan Serbaguna Dataran Pahlawan Negara was shown on a large screen a teaser of the National Day 2020 Live Broadcast by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM.

In conjunction with the National Day celebration and the 50th Anniversary of Rukun Negara, His Majesty called on the people to appreciate and safeguard the country’s independence and peace.

His Majesty said the five principles should serve as a guide and be practised by all quarters, including the country’s leaders, the government and Malaysians.

After the royal address, Al-Sultan Abdullah returned to his seat and watch the live telecast by RTM on the 2020 National Day celebration with the guests.

The programme for the celebration included a cavalry parade by personnel from various agencies while carrying the Jalur Gemilang.

The parade, from the Putra Bridge to Dataran Putra, Precinct 1, was led by Putrajaya Corporation president) Datuk Dr Aminuddin Hassim.

The national flag was then handed over by Malaysian Armed Forces Equestrian chairman Colonel Norazrin Shamsudin to the flag raisers, who then hoist the Jalur Gemilang.

The live broadcast then moved over to the event at Dataran Tugu Negara, in Kuala Lumpur, where the reciting of the pledge by 66 frontliners of Covid-19 took place.

They comprised personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department, National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) , Information Department, Malaysian Armed Forces, Immigration Department, Civil Defence Department and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall and was led by Dr Izwan Effendy Zainuddin from the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Health Department.

This was then followed by the singing of “Malaysia Prihatin’, a song composed by RTM Music director Datuk Mokhzani Ismail, with the lyrics by El Sol Akhmad.

The song, sang by Aina Abdul, Siti Sarah Raisuddin, Alif Satar and Syamel at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, was a tribute to frontliners and Malaysians in coming together to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. — Bernama

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Trump’s intel chief defends briefings ban

John Ratcliffe is a former lawmaker who defended the US president during probes into Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election. (AP pic)

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s intelligence chief on Sunday defended his decision to cease in-person Congressional briefings on election security, while Democrats said the move would suppress critical information about foreign election meddling and warned they may subpoena testimony.

John Ratcliffe, the president’s new director of national intelligence and a close Trump ally, accused US lawmakers of leaking classified information from a July 31 briefing to promote what he called false narratives for political purposes.

“A number of members of Congress went to a number of different publications and leaked classified information, again, for political purposes, to create a narrative that simply isn’t true, that somehow Russia is a greater national security threat than China,” Ratcliffe told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures.

Ratcliffe is a former lawmaker who defended Trump during Congressional probes into Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election.

Democratic lawmakers accused Ratcliffe of trying to block them from questioning intelligence officials in a bid to conceal information on how Russia has been interfering in the 2020 presidential election to help Trump, as it did in 2016.

“You can say things in a written report that are not correct, and you can’t be subject to questioning about it,” Representative Adam Schiff, Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN’s State of the Union program.

“When you can hide behind documents or withhold documents and not have to answer questions about it, it lets you conceal the truth. And in this case, concealing the truth is concealing Russians are again intervening to help the president in his re-election,” he said.

Schiff denied leaking any classified information from the July briefing.

“I haven’t, my staff hasn’t. I can’t speak for what all the members of the committee have done or not done, including a lot of the Republican members,” he said.

The intelligence community has warned that Russia is trying to “denigrate” Trump’s 2020 Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, and that Iran and China are also trying to sow disinformation.

Schiff vowed he would “compel” the intelligence community to hand over information to Congress on the threat, including potentially through the use of subpoenas.

Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, a former presidential candidate, told ABC’s “This Week” that Ratcliffe’s decision was an “outrage” at a time when multiple foreign governments were trying to “break into” the Nov 3 election, and that it was “crazy” that the House may be forced to subpoena him.

However, Senator Ron Johnson, Republican chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, played down the significance of Ratcliffe’s decision when speaking with CNN’s “State of the Union” program, saying that the Democratic response had been “blown so way out of proportion”.

A bipartisan investigation by the Senate Intelligence Committee found this month that Russia meddled in the 2016 US presidential election to help Trump at the direction of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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5 diseases that dogs can detect just by sniffing you

Thanks to their highly developed sense of smell canines can detect odours that are imperceptible to humans and which indicate the presence of certain diseases. (Rawpixel pic)

Cancer, covid-19, diabetes, malaria… Not only do they make great pets, but dogs also have a remarkable sense of smell that can be used to detect a wide range of diseases.

Some dogs are trained by security services to find drugs or explosives, others are used to hunt for truffles. But that is not all they can do.

Thanks to their highly developed sense of smell, canines are also able to detect odors that are imperceptible to humans, which indicate the presence of certain diseases.

Here is a roundup of some of the conditions that they are being taught to find.

Covid-19

In response to the ongoing health crisis, several researchers are training dogs to detect cases of SARS-CoV-2.

The goal of these programmes is to determine if there is a specific smell in the perspiration of people infected by the novel coronavirus that canines can reliably identify.

Initially developed by the staff at the French École Vétérinaire de Maisons-Alfort, the method, which is being tested in the city of Strasbourg, the island of Corsica and at other locations outside France, has demonstrated encouraging preliminary results.

Malaria

This parasitic disease, which is transmitted to humans by Anopheles mosquitoes, can also be detected by our canine friends.

In 2019, English researchers presented the results of a study conducted in The Gambia, which involved training dogs with socks that had been worn by children infected with malaria, who otherwise had no symptoms.

The experiment proved to be so successful that researchers are now planning on using this method to test for asymptomatic cases of the disease.

Migraine

Being able to anticipate a migraine attack can significantly help reduce the intensity and the duration of the pain that it causes.

According to a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2013, around 60% of participants declared that their dog warned them of an imminent migraine headache one or two hours before they began to feel it.

Diabetes

According to a British study published in Plos One in early 2019, dogs can detect hypoglycemic episodes in people suffering Type 1 diabetes in more than 80% cases.

The study further explained that dogs can also be trained to adopt a specific signalling behavior, like nuzzling their owner’s legs when they have identified the odor of hypoglycemia.

Cancer

In recent years, there have been several widely reported cases of dogs alerting owners who were suffering from cancer.

In 2015, a Labrador named Daisy, who had been trained to sniff out cancer, warned her mistress by repeatedly nuzzling her bosom. A short time later, the woman was diagnosed with breast cancer.

This surprising phenomenon is made possible by a particular odor caused by the disease in the urine and blood of affected humans.

An American study published in 2019 notably showed that beagles trained to detect the odor of lung cancer in blood samples could effectively identify the disease in more than 96% of cases.

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Semoga sambutan Hari Kebangsaan 2021 lebih baik

Harapan supaya perintah kawalan pergerakan pemulihan (PKPP) berakhir pada sambutan Hari Kebangsaan 31 Ogos ini tidak tercapai apabila Perdana Menteri, Muhyiddin Yassin mengumumkan bahawa ia dilanjutkan hingga 31 Disember ini.

Keadaan ancaman Covid-19 masih belum reda dengan timbulnya kluster baru, malah ada tempat yang dikenakankan PKP diperketatkan (PKPD).

Jadi bukan saja sambutan Hari Kebangsaan tidak dapat diseiringkan dengan kegembiraan berakhirnya PKP, tetapi norma baru perlu dimantapkan lagi sehingga habis tahun 2020.

Maknanya, tahun ini adalah sepanjangnya suram dengan harapan bahawa 2021 akan menjadi lebih baik. Semoga sambutan tahun depan akan lebih baik daripada tahun ini.

Tetapi apa yang menjadikan sambutan Hari Kebangsaan 2020 muram bukan hanya soal Covid-19 yang merupakan wabak terburuk dalam sejarah negara sejak kemerdekaan, tetapi juga soal pergolakan politik dan ekonomi yang turut berlaku serentak.

Tanah Melayu mencapai kemerdekaan pada tahun 1957 ketika Darurat masih lagi berlangsung dan penduduk rakyat negara ini berada dalam kesusahan dengan pergerakan mereka terhad, serta sebahagian daripadanya ditempatkan di kawasan kawalan dengan apa yang dinamakan sebagai kampung baru.

Keadaan PKP hari ini tidaklah seburuk Darurat kerana peperangan serta ancaman kepada keselamatan adalah lebih mencabar daripada melawan wabak penyakit.

Sudut bahayanya berbeza, tetapi peperangan tidak boleh disamakan dengan ancaman wabak.

Ketika sambutan Hari Kemerdekaan pertama, iaitu pada tahun 1958, Darurat masih berlangsung walaupun kebanyakan militan Parti Komunis Malaya (PKM) telah berpindah ke Thailand Selatan.

Walaupun pada tahun 1959, Darurat belum diisytiharkan tamat, tetapi Tanah Melayu sudah berupaya mengadakan pilihan raya umum pertama selepas kemerdekaan.

Buat pertama kalinya, kerajaan Tanah Melayu mendapat mandat rakyat daripada warga negara merdeka. Perikatan menang besar dan menguasai semua negeri, kecuali Kelantan dan Terengganu yang dikuasai oleh PAS. Tetapi kemudian kerajaan PAS Terengganu tumbang dan jatuh pada Perikatan.

Sambutan Hari Kemerdekaan tahun 1960 amat menggembirakan bagi rakyat Tanah Melayu kerana Darurat diisytiharkan berakhir dan suasananya ialah azam rakyat untuk membina sebuah negara baru yang maju dan makmur.

Pada tahun itu juga Tanah Melayu menghantar tentera pasukannya ke Congo sebagai pasukan pendamai dan sumbangannya kepada Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu (PBB).

Sungguhpun Tanah Melayu berada dalam keadaan selamat dan aman ketika sambutan Hari Kemerdekaan tahun 1961, rantau Asia Tenggara berada di tengah-tengah ketegangan politik Perang Dingin antara kuasa besar Amerika Syarikat dan Soviet Union.

Paling utama adalah perang di Indochina antara Vietnam Utara yang didokong oleh Soviet dan Vietnam Selatan yang dibantu Amerika.

Turut mengancam ialah pengaruh besar Parti Komunis Indonesia (PKI) ke atas pemerintahan Sukarno yang membawa negara itu menjadi sekutu Soviet dan China.

Dalam pada itu kumpulan gerila komunis juga aktif di Thailand dan Filipina. Tetapi hampir di Tanah Melayu ialah Singapura. Pulau itu mempunyai gerakan komunis bawah tanah yang memberi ancaman.

Jadi ketika Tanah Melayu menyambut Hari Kemerdekaan pada tahun 1962, gagasan Malaysia sudah dikemukakan, antara lain bagi tujuan menghalang teori domino kemaraan komunis di rantau ini.

Hari Kemerdekaan tahun 1963 adalah yang terakhir disambut oleh Persekutuan Tanah Melayu kerana Malaysia ditubuhkan pada 16 September tahun itu dengan gabungan bersama Singapura, Sarawak dan Sabah.

Maka Hari Kebangsaan pada tahun 1964 adalah buat pertama kali Malaysia menyambut dengan semangat dan azam baru sebagai sebuah negara lebih besar daripada Tanah Melayu.

Malaysia berjaya ditubuhkan walaupun Indonesia melancarkan Konfrontasi dan blok Soviet menolak penubuhannya. Sementara Filipina pula menuntut sebahagian daripada Sabah.

Tetapi pada Hari Kebangsaan tahun 1965, Malaysia menyambutnya tanpa Singapura. Agak terganggu juga dengan keluarnya Singapura dan usaha perlu diteruskan supaya projek Malaysia dapat dipertahankan dengan wilayah yang ada, Tanah Melayu, Sarawak dan Sabah.

Tetapi tahun itu menyaksikan kejatuhan Sukarno dan PKI di Indonesia yang membawa kepada berakhirnya Konfrontasi.

Maka sambutan Hari Kebangsaan tahun 1966 memberi semangat baru pada Malaysia dalam rantau yang lebih selamat. Malaysia, Indonesia dan Singapura menjadi asas rantau Asia Tenggara yang berjaya menahan kemaraan komunis.

Menjelang Hari Kebangsaan tahun 1967, persiapan dilakukan untuk sambutan besar-besaran. Ini kerana ia merupakan sambutan 10 tahun kemerdekaan. Pelbagai acara dirancang dan diadakan dengan persembahan pertunjukan bunga api di Lake Garden. Penulis turut hadir.

Tetapi ada sesuatu yang tidak kena mula dirasakan sedang melanda negara pada tahun 1968.

Maka ketika negara menyambut Hari Kebangsaan pada tahun itu, suasana tidak puas hati dalam kalangan rakyat berlainan kaum mula terasa menjelang pilihan raya umum tahun 1969.

Sambutan Hari Kebangsaan tahun 1969 tidak menggembirakan, negara dilanda Peristiwa 13 Mei dan pentadbiran diletakkan di bawah Majlis Gerakan Negara (Mageran).

Dalam sambutan Hari Kebangsaan tahun 1970, penekanan adalah pada perpaduan kaum dan muhibah. Negara bangkit balik untuk pemulihan dengan semangat baharu yang sampai kemuncaknya pada sambutan Hari Kebangsaan tahun 1974 ekoran kemenangan besar Barisan Nasional.

Dari tahun 1975 sehingga 2017, sambutan Hari Kebangsaan disambut meriah dengan negara maju tahun demi tahun. Ia sudah menjadi acara rutin setiap tahun sehinggalah pilihan raya umum ke-14 apabila Barisan Nasional kalah.

Maka buat pertama kalinya sambutan Hari Kebangsaan iaitu pada tahun 2018, negara ditadbir oleh gabungan parti yang dahulunya adalah pembangkang iaitu Pakatan Harapan.

Kerajaan Pakatan Harapan memberi pembukaan baru bagi negara. Harapan tinggi rakyat supaya negara dapat dibina semula dengan gagasan Malaysia Baru. Tetapi kerajaan baru ini diasak oleh pembangkang yang menggunakan sentimen kaum dan agama.

Sambutan Hari Kebangsaan tahun 2019 yang menyaksikan Dr Mahathir Mohamad sebagai negarawan ulung berusia 90-an masih tetap memberi harapan bahawa negara ini akan menjadi lebih baik.

Walaupun Wawasan 2020 tidak dapat dicapai, tetapi usaha bagi kemakmuran bersama tetap digubal, dirancang dan mahu dilaksanakan.

Masuk tahun 2020, semua harapan itu berkecai. Covid-19 sampai ke Malaysia diikuti dengan tumbangnya kerajaan Pakatan Harapan. PKP dilaksanakan hingga ketika sambutan Hari Kebangsaan, ia diteruskan sebagai PKPP sehingga Disember ini.

Itupun tidak dapat dijangka apakah yang akan berlaku pada 2021. Belum ada kepastian mengenai vaksin dan pemulihan ekonomi juga tidak jelas, bukan saja bagi Malaysia, tetapi di seluruh dunia.

Keadaan politik Malaysia akan terus bergolak memasuki tahun 2021, sama ada akan diadakan PRU-15 lebih awal atau tidak. Cuma diharapkam sambutan Hari Kebangsaan pada tahun 2021 adalah lebih baik.

Akhirnya perjalanan sejarah berlaku dengan seseorang manusia tidak dapat mencorakkan apakah yang akan berlaku. Keputusan boleh dibuat, tindakan dilaksanakan, tetapi hasilnya adalah di luar jangkaan dan harapan seseorang.

 

Artikel ini adalah pandangan penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili FMT.

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Rahm drains 60-foot birdie to defeat Johnson at BMW Championships

Rahm reacts after making his putt on the first playoff hole at the Olympia Fields Country Club on Aug 30. (AP pic)

WASHINGTON: Jon Rahm drained a swinging 60-foot birdie putt at the first playoff hole Sunday to win the US PGA Tour BMW Championship over world No 1 Dustin Johnson.

Spain’s Rahm, ranked second in the world behind Johnson, was in the right rough off the tee at the first playoff hole, the 18th at Olympia Fields near Chicago.

His second shot rolled to the back of the green, leaving him what could have been a tough two-putt for par.

“Never did I think I’d be making another 50-, 60-footer – couple of breaks in there, too – to end up winning it,” said Rahm, who gave a roaring fist pump as the putt dropped.

Johnson’s tee shot was also off course but ricocheted off a tree to settle in the fairway.

The American found the middle of the green, but after Rahm’s miraculous birdie effort, Johnson’s birdie attempt settled inches from the cup.

Johnson had snaked in a 43-foot birdie at the same hole to force the playoff, joining Rahm on four-under 276 in the second event of the US tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs.

Rahm had powered to the top of the leader board with six birdies in an impressive six-under 64 – the lowest round of the week.

Johnson, seeking a second straight win and 23rd tour title, started the day tied for the lead with Hideki Matsuyama with Rahm three adrift.

He birdied three of his first four holes, but bogeys at eight and 10 saw him fall out of the lead before he picked up strokes at 15 and 18 to sign for a three-under 67.

Johnson’s solo second place means he’ll stay atop the rankings.

Rahm was tied for sixth starting the day after a third round marred by a bad mistake at the fifth hole, where he absentmindedly picked up his ball on the green without marking it and was assessed a penalty.

‘Striping it’

He said it wasn’t hard to put the blunder behind him.

“Once I teed off today, in the good weather and how I started striping it the first few holes, I knew I had a chance,” said Rahm, who claimed his fifth tour title and his second in his last five starts.

Rahm had two birdies on the front side but picked up the pace with a 16-foot birdie putt at the 10th.

He followed that with a five-foot birdie at the 12th and a nine-footer at 15 before he rolled in a 30-foot birdie at 16.

He wasn’t surprised, however, to find himself in a playoff, and went straight to the range to keep warm with Johnson still on the course and just one back.

“Knowing DJ and how good he has been playing, I expected nothing else,” Rahm said.

Rising Chilean star Joaquin Niemann got off to a hot start with three birdies in his first five holes.

A birdie at the eighth gave him a share of the lead, but he slowed with a bogey at 14 and finished with a 67 that left him tied for third on 278 alongside Matsuyama, who signed for a 69.

American Tony Finau was alone in fifth after a 65 for 279.

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5 sins in the kitchen that can be a hazard to your health

Your kitchen may be beautiful but is it a hazard to your health? (Rawpixel pic)

The things people do can have different consequences, some positive, some negative.

Many of the things people do in the kitchen can be extremely unhealthy.

Here are some examples.

1. Defrosting meat on the countertop

The safest way to defrost meat is in the fridge, microwave oven or a cold-water bath. (Pixabay pic)

This is something most people do on a daily basis. The main issue with defrosting the meat on the countertop is that it is left out at room temperature.

Harmful bacteria can multiply even quicker at room temperature, meaning the longer you leave the meat out to defrost the higher the chances of it being colonised by bacteria.

The safest way to defrost meat is to leave it in the fridge, placing it in cold water or using the defrost setting on the microwave.

Food that has been defrosted in the microwave should be cooked immediately after.

2. Rinsing meat in the sink

Rinsing meat is not only an ineffective method to clean it, it also spreading germs in the sink. Raw meat can contain bacteria and pathogens, by rinsing the meat in the sink no germs are being killed.

The kitchen sink and other items that get splashed by the water are being contaminated.

To kill bacteria and pathogens, cook the meat thoroughly, it is as simple as that. But, those who still feel the need to rinse meat, make sure to sanitise the sink afterwards.

3. Not washing hands

Wash hands frequently when cooking. (Rawpixel pic)

Washing your hands is easily one of the most important things to do, especially now.

Make sure the hands are washed when starting the cooking and in between as well, for example, before touching anything else after touching raw meat, to prevent the spread of bacteria.

4. Only using one cutting board

Using one cutting board for everything can cause cross contamination and serious illness. (Pixabay pic)

Using the same cutting board for raw meat and ready-to-eat food such as fruit and vegetables is a big no-no. Juices from the meat can easily contaminate the fruit, and one can get seriously ill.

Use different cutting boards for different food, one for ready-to-eat food and another for raw meat. You can label them or get ones that look different or are in different colours.

5. Not cleaning the kitchen regularly

People ignore cleaning the kitchen at their peril. (Pixabay pic)

Last but not least, this is easily the biggest mistake many make by simply ignoring this chore.

Germs and bacteria are living organisms that can evolve and adapt in order to survive, and by not cleaning the kitchen regularly they are being given the opportunity to live and multiply in the kitchen.

This can be very dangerous because food is stored and prepared in the kitchen to be consumed by others. Clean the kitchen on a regular basis.

This article first appeared in kaodim.com

One of Southeast Asia’s fastest growing local services platforms, Kaodim connects users to dependable and professional local service providers – fast and hassle free. With the Kaodim app, users can access professional services for home renovation, office cleaning and much more.

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Rukun Negara asas pembentukan negara, bukan hanya simbolik, kata Agong

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah menyampaikan Titah Diraja sempena sambutan Hari Kebangsaan ke-63 hari ini.

KUALA LUMPUR: Rukun Negara yang lahir 50 tahun lepas adalah asas kepada perpaduan nasional dan pembentukan negara ini, bukan sekadar dijulang secara simbolik menerusi bacaan setiap kali negara menyambut Hari Kebangsaan, kata Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdulllah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

Sebaliknya katanya, roh dan semangat rukun negara hendaklah dihayati dan diamalkan dalam setiap aspek kehidupan seharian.

“Lima prinsip Rukun Negara adalah formula bagaimana rakyat yang berbilang bangsa, agama, budaya dan bahasa boleh mengatasi segala perbezaan serta kepelbagaian tersebut, seterusnya hidup secara rukun dan damai.

“Rukun Negara juga menuntut sebuah negara bangsa yang dibentuk atas keteguhan pegangan agama yang kukuh, manakala rakyat pula dituntut untuk mencurahkan taat setia kepada raja yang menjadi payung dan lambang kedaulatan negara,” katanya.

Sultan Abdullah berkata demikian dalam Titah Diraja bersempena sambutan 50 tahun Rukun Negara dan Hari Kebangsaan 2020 yang disiarkan secara langsung menerusi stesen televisyen tempatan hari ini.

Sambutan itu berlangsung di Putrajaya.

Sultan Abdullah berkata, prinsip teras yang terkandung dalam Rukun Negara bersifat sejagat dengan merentasi nilai-nilai murni semua bangsa, agama serta berupaya menjadi panduan hidup sebagai rakyat sebuah negara yang merdeka.

Oleh itu, prinsip tersebut seharusnya menjadi panduan serta amalan oleh semua pihak, termasuk pemimpin negara, kerajaan dan rakyat Malaysia, kata Sultan Abdullah.

Pada masa sama Yang di-Pertuan Agong turut mengingatkan semua pihak supaya menghormati dan mempertahankan semua perkara dan hak keistimewaan yang disepakati sebelum ini dalam perlembagaan persekutuan.

“Keadilan di negara ini adalah terikat kepada undang-undang yang wajib dihormati serta dipatuhi oleh setiap rakyat tanpa mengira pangkat dan darjat,” katanya.

Sementara itu dalam menyambut Hari Kebangsaan yang bertemakan “Malaysia Prihatin” tahun ini, Sultan Abdullah mengucapkan tahniah kepada kerajaan yang amat prihatin dalam usaha mengukuhkan semula ekonomi negara, selain terus membela kebajikan rakyat sepanjang negara berdepan pandemik Covid-19.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong juga merakamkan ucapan terima kasih kepada rakyat kerana menzahirkan daya tahan dan semangat prihatin yang tinggi dalam menghadapi cabaran itu.

Bersempena sambutan Hari Kebangsaan dan ulang tahun ke-50 Rukun Negara kali ini, Sultan Abdullah mengajak seluruh rakyat untuk menghargai serta menjaga kemerdekaan dan keamanan yang dikecapi negara.

“Sesungguhnya keharmonian dan kerukunan hidup dalam sebuah masyarakat yang berbilang kaum merupakan tunjang kepada kekuatan negara.

“Jika semangat yang terkandung dalam Rukun Negara terus dihayati dan tersemat kukuh di setiap jiwa rakyat Malaysia, insya-Allah, negara kita akan terus kekal aman dan damai serta akan menjadi sebuah negara yang kukuh dan makmur dengan rakyat yang bersatu padu,” katanya.

Agong bersama-sama Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah turut mengambil kesempatan mendoakan supaya Malaysia terus dipelihara dan dilimpahi dengan keberkatan rezeki, kemakmuran, kesejahteraan rakyat serta keamanan dan perpaduan yang berkekalan.

Beliau mengucapkan selamat menyambut Ulang Tahun ke-50 Rukun Negara dan selamat menyambut Hari Kebangsaan 2020 kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia.

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Prihatin rakyat jadi panduan kerajaan PN [METROTV]

<p>PERDANA Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berikrar untuk menjadikan prihatin rakyat sebagai prinsip panduan utama kerajaan Perikatan Nasional (PN).</p> © New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

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Rukun Negara encapsulates Malaysia’s soul, spirit and national unity, says Agong in Merdeka Day royal address

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdulllah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah attends the National Day celebration at Putrajaya August 31, 2020. — Bernama pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — The Rukun Negara that was instituted 50 years ago as the basis of national unity and formation of the country, is not merely to be upheld symbolically each time the pledge is recited on National Day.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdulllah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah said instead, the soul and spirit of the Rukun Negara should be appreciated and practised in all aspects of daily life.

“The five principles of Rukun Negara forms the formula of how the people of various races, religions, cultures and languages can overcome differences and diversity to live in peace and harmony.

“The Rukun Negara also demands a nation-state that is formed on the strength of strong religious beliefs, while the people are required to be loyal to the King who is the umbrella and symbol of the country’s sovereignty,” he said.

His Majesty said this in his royal address in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of the Rukun Negara and National Day 2020, which was broadcast live by television stations, including Bernama TV, here today.

The celebration was held in Putrajaya.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong said the core principles outlined in the Rukun Negara are universal in nature that cuts across noble values of all nations and religions and capable of becoming a guide for the citizens of an independent nation.

Therefore, Al-Sultan Abdullah said the principles should serve as a guide and be practised by all quarters, including the country’s leaders, the government and Malaysians.

At the same time, Al-Sultan Abdullah also reminded all quarters to respect and defend all things that matter, including privileges and rights that had been agreed upon and enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

“Justice in this country is bound by laws that must be respected and complied with by every citizen regardless of rank and title,” said His Majesty.

Meanwhile, in celebrating National Day, themed “Malaysia Prihatin” (Malaysia Cares) this year, Al Sultan Abdullah congratulated the government for efforts made to strengthen the country’s economy, as well as continuing to safeguard the welfare of the people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong also thanked the people for their resilience and determined spirit in facing the setback.

In conjunction with the National Day celebration and the 50th Anniversary of Rukun Negara, His Majesty called on the people to appreciate and safeguard the country’s independence and peace.

“Indeed, peace and harmony in a multiracial society is the backbone of a nation’s strength.

“I am confident, if the spirit contained in the Rukun Negara continues to be appreciated and firmly embedded in the soul of every Malaysian, Insya-Allah, our country will continue to remain peaceful and harmonious, and become a strong and prosperous nation, with people that are united,” he added.

His Majesty, together with the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, also took the opportunity to pray for Malaysia to be protected and blessed with everlasting peace, harmony and prosperity, and for Malaysians to remain united.

His Majesty ended his speech by extending his National Day and 50th Rukun Negara anniversary wishes to all Malaysians. — Bernama

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Projek hospital di Sarawak berjalan ikut jadual, Fadillah jawab pemimpin PKR

Menteri Kanan Kerja Raya Fadillah Yusof berkata, dakwaan Naib Presiden PKR Dr Michael Teo tidak berasas.

KUCHING: Menteri Kanan Kerja Raya Fadillah Yusof hari ini membidas naib presiden PKR yang didakwanya membuat tuduhan tidak berasas kononnya kerajaan tidak bertindak proaktif dalam menangani keadaan Covid-19 dan menyiapkan beberapa hospital di Sarawak.

Beliau berkata, tuduhan Dr Michael Teo itu tidak betul kerana walaupun semasa memerangi pandemik Covid-19, kerajaan melakukan yang terbaik bagi membekalkan keperluan penting kepada orang ramai, termasuk memastikan kemudahan yang mencukupi kepada semua.

“Ini kerana Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) sentiasa memantau perkembangan kemajuan projek dan mengambil segala langkah yang perlu ke arah menyegerakan pelaksanaannya walaupun berhadapan dengan kekangan yang tidak dapat dielakkan (berhadapan dengan pandemik),” katanya dalam satu kenyataan bagi menjawab tuduhan Teo, yang disiarkan oleh media tempatan semalam.

Teo dalam sebuah portal media dilaporkan menggesa kerajaan bertindak lebih proaktif dalam menyegerakan kerja-kerja projek pembinaan hospital di Sarawak.

“Tindakan pemimpin PKR yang cuba mengaitkan kelewatan projek pembinaan hospital dengan kekurangan tempat untuk merawat pesakit Covid-19 adalah tidak benar sama sekali.

“ia boleh dianggap sebagai usaha memainkan persepsi dan memesongkan fakta semata-mata untuk kepentingan politik mereka,” kata Fadillah, yang menambah cara kerajaan menangani Covid-19 telah diiktiraf antara terbaik di dunia.

Merujuk kepada kelewatan penyiapan Hospital Petra Jaya, Fadillah berkata, status semasa adalah di peringkat penilaian tender oleh JKR serta Kementerian Kesihatan (KKM).

Menurutnya pengeluaran Surat Setuju Terima disasar hujung Disember ini dan tarikh serahan pemilikan di tapak pembinaan pada Januari tahun depan.

Berhubung pelaksanaan projek Hospital Lawas (76 katil) pula katanya, pelaksanaan pembinaan projek itu bermula pada 30 Jun lepas dan ia dijangka siap pada hujung 2023.

Katanya, sehingga 31 Julai lepas peratus pencapaian projek itu adalah 0.13%.

Beliau berkata, projek Hospital Sri Aman sedang dilaksanakan dengan aktif dan dipantau rapi oleh JKR dengan mengadakan mesyuarat koordinasi dan pemeriksaan bersama yang kerap bagi memastikan pelaksanaannya tepat pada sasaran Februari 2021.

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Pandemic not all doom and gloom, says Malaysia’s first ever elected woman, now 97

Devaki knew little about politics, but her heart was stirred to action after hearing news about two women representatives winning seats in elections in Sri Lanka and in Singapore.

KUALA LUMPUR: Looking out of her window, 97-year-old Devaki Krishnan smiles fondly as the Jalur Gemilang waves gently in the breeze.

To patriotic Malaysians, the banner, known in English as the Stripes of Glory, embodies the thrill of gaining and celebrating the nation’s independence.

“I feel very happy when I see it,” she tells FMT. “When it flutters this way and that, it’s very pleasant to the eyes, and peaceful to the heart. It settles the mind.”

The veteran politician wishes young Malaysians would respect the Jalur Gemilang and learn why their older countrymen take such pride in it.

She can still remember Tunku Abdul Rahman’s booming voice and the atmosphere as everyone in the stadium echoed the first prime minister’s shouts of “Merdeka!”

She remembers clearly the historic day in Stadium Merdeka, when Tunku Abdul Rahman declared Malaya’s independence, with seven booming shouts of “Merdeka!”

She remembers the impassioned atmosphere as everyone in the stadium roared in echo of Tunku’s cries.

And she remembers the feeling of national unity, which will never be forgotten by those who were there. “We were one family at that time,” she says.

She talks of Tunku’s charisma and magnetism. ”Whenever he came to see us, we always gathered around him.

She considers the late Tunku a father and friend, describing of how one of his favourite Indian dishes was kattirikai karuvadu, or eggplant curry with dried fish.

“He liked to eat eggplant curry with dried fish. He would even say it in Tamil,” she says affectionately, perhaps recalling her Sri Lankan Tamil heritage.

Devaki became the first woman to be elected to public office in Malaysia when she won a seat on the Municipal Council in Kuala Lumpur in 1952.

At the time, she was a schoolteacher who knew little about politics, but had been stirred to action on hearing about two women winning seats in elections in Sri Lanka and Singapore. Such events were practically unthinkable in those days.

Devaki, the first female elected official in Malaysia, with Malcolm MacDonald, the governor-general of British territories in South East Asia.

“Both of them were Indian women, and all the other races had supported them. That gave me hope. I thought: if they can do it, why not me?”

So, she stood in the election, supported by her community and, as it turned out, a majority of the diverse electorate.

When it was officially announced that she had won her seat, she was driven through the streets of her new constituency, in an open-top convertible, addressing the cheering crowds with microphone in hand.

“It was a very big parade. The only sadness is that there were no film cameras to record the occasion,” she said.

Yet the memory is obviously crystal clear to her.

She was later recruited into the Independence of Malaya Party (IMP) by the late Onn Jaafar.

It was then that she got the chance to mix with many of the people who played key roles in attaining Malaya’s independence.

As an aside, she mentions another claim to fame which obviously means a lot to her. “In Kuala Lumpur, I was the first Indian lady to drive a car.”

She is currently a life member of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC).

“I’m the longest-standing MIC member. Longer than Samy Vellu or anybody.”

Devaki proudly shows some of the photographs she took with historical figures, including Harold MacDonald and Tunku Abdul Rahman.

She is proud of that, but longs to see younger blood rise through the ranks in Malaysian politics, to replace her and the rest of the old guard.

She believes that young people should be well-educated and given more opportunities in politics.

She regrets that the representation of women in politics is still not as strong as it should be, and she wants to see more of them serving in Parliament, state governments and local councils.

As the breeze picks up again, her eyes are drawn to her beloved Jalur Gemilang stirring.

She raises her own flag every year in mid-August and flies it for a full month until the Malaysia Day celebrations end.

“We should all pay great respect to the flag. The flag is the Rukun Negara, the Rukun Negara is the flag.

“Younger Malaysians must be taught the beauty of the flag, and the reasons why we fly it. They must know how difficult it was to win our independence.”

Her Merdeka wish this year? For the Covid-19 pandemic to be over.

The damage being caused to the country by the pandemic saddens her, and yet for all the misery the virus has caused, she’s able to find a silver lining.

“Everyone’s stuck in the house, so families have been reunited. Normally the children don’t see their parents, the parents don’t see their children. In these times they are seated together around the family table.”

It’s normal for each outgoing generation to question the values of their up and coming young replacements.

For all Devaki’s concerns about modern Malaysian youth, the generations on the rise may well be more patriotic than many older people are aware.

After all, young people thrive on keeping secrets from their elders. That never changes.

Right now, thousands of youngsters are celebrating Merdeka by flying the Jalur Gemilang not out on the streets or from tall buildings, but in the way that means most to them in their new world: virtually, as emoticons on social media.

But that’s their secret for now.

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8 ways daily morning meetings build better teams

A daily morning circle can help frame the day for success. (Rawpixel pic)

A morning meeting, or a daily check-in or morning circle, is a time to gather everyone together and help frame the day for success.

The team leaders sit with their co-workers, they greet each other, talk about the work that matters and provide everyone with a chance to share. For those working from home, morning meetings can be done virtually online as well.

1. Establish strong relationships

Meeting and discussing work-related topics helps everyone to establish a strong relationship and a climate of trust.

Team leaders get to know their coworkers on a deeper level and the entire team gets to know each other better and learn from each other. Everyone gets to share their thoughts, problems and needs about the job in hand.

2. A good opportunity to share social-emotional learning skills

Time can be spent discussing the skills that matter, such as a growth mindset, developing goals, responsible decisions, time management, self-control, self-confidence and work ethic.

Directly sharing about these skills can make a difference for everyone in the meeting.

3. An outlet to discuss stress

With time and consistency, morning meetings can be an opportunity for everyone to feel comfortable about expressing their concerns, thoughts and needs.

Most importantly, morning meetings can provide the best setting to discuss how to manage stress, such as coping skills and healthy habits.

4. Help everyone with problem solving

Everyone has to deal with challenging situations on a daily or weekly basis. Morning meetings can be the open space where co-workers can ask for feedback or ideas about how to solve a particular problem in their work.

5. Build positive work relationships

Establishing positive work relationships means caring about each other, working together and providing support when needed. Kick-starting the day with the group and talking about issues that matter with co-workers helps create a foundation for everyone in the office.

Not only does this benefit the team by displaying their skills in working together, it also projects a feeling that everyone is in this together.

6. Colleagues can discuss and can teach each other work-related skills

Morning meetings can be a platform for everyone to learn skills such as time management, getting organised and specific skills relevant to everyone.

With a busy work schedule, there is not always an opportunity for everyone to pick up new skills, which is why morning meetings can be the perfect time to do so.

7. Shows that all voices are equally important

One of the most important aspects of having a morning meeting is that everyone has a chance to share. Once it becomes a daily activity, it teaches people to respect and listen to one another.

Not only is this an important value in the workplace, but an important life skill too. Giving everyone an opportunity to speak shows that every voice matters, by starting with a daily meeting.

8. Increase work engagement

A daily check-in and discussion time can be the best way to help energise and engage everyone’s mind at the start of the day.

Morning meetings focused on social-emotional learning can help everyone become more focused, alert and ready to go for the rest of the working day.

This article first appeared in jobstore.com

Jobstore is an online job site that specialises in providing jobseekers with the latest job opportunities by matching talented individuals with reputable companies in Malaysia. Find your dream job with over 40,000 job vacancies in Malaysia.

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Lebanon president calls for proclamation of ‘secular state’

Aoun says the time has come to develop, modify and change the system. (AP pic)

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun called Sunday for the proclamation of a “secular state” during a televised address to mark the upcoming centenary of the Lebanese state.

“I call for the proclamation of Lebanon as a secular state,” Aoun said during a speech after an enormous explosion at Beirut’s port in early August and months of deepening economic crisis.

He said such a state was the only way “of protecting and preserving pluralism” and creating real unity.

“Lebanon’s youth are calling for change … for them and for their future,” said the 85-year-old president, who has long been accused by protesters of being out of touch with the country’s youth.

“I say yes, the time has come,” he added.

“There is a need to develop, modify, change the system.”

Aoun spoke a day ahead of Lebanon marking a hundred years since French mandate authorities declared the state of Greater Lebanon.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to land in the country on Monday on his second visit in weeks to hammer home the need for reform in the wake of the deadly port blast that killed at least 188 people and wounded thousands.

Aoun said he would call for dialogue including religious authorities and political leaders to reach “a formula that is accepted by everyone and that would be embodied in the appropriate constitutional amendments”.

Macron on Friday spoke of the “constraints of a confessional system” in the country’s politics that was hampering reforms.

Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, an ally of Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement, earlier Sunday said his Shiite movement was “open” to the French proposal for a new political pact for Lebanon as long as there is national consensus.

Aoun is to receive the representatives of parliamentary blocs and independent lawmakers on Monday to start consultations towards naming a new premier after the government resigned following the Beirut explosion.

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Trump’s visit to Kenosha won’t be helpful, say Democrats

Hundreds march at a rally for Jacob Blake on Aug 29 in Kenosha. (AP pic)

WASHINGTON: Democrats said Donald Trump should not visit the Wisconsin city where protests erupted last week after a Black man was shot in the back by a white police officer, while the Republican president said “strength” was the only way to deal with unrest.

The Aug 22 shooting of Jacob Blake in front of three of his children turned Kenosha, a mostly white city south of Milwaukee, into the latest flashpoint in a summer of US demonstrations against police brutality and racism ahead of Trump’s November reelection bid.

Trump has taken a hard stand against the racial protests and the White House said he will visit the Midwestern city on Tuesday, raising concerns among Democrats that this may worsen the strife.

“They centred an entire convention around creating more animosity and creating more division around what’s going on in Kenosha,” Wisconsin’s Democratic Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes told CNN, referring to last week’s Republican National Convention.

“So I don’t know how, given any of the previous statements that the president made, that he intends to come here to be helpful, and we absolutely don’t need that right now,” he added.

Critics accuse Trump, who faces Democratic former vice-president Joe Biden in the Nov 3 election, of seeking to exacerbate violence with incendiary rhetoric, while the president has repeatedly called in tweets for “law and order”.

In a statement on Sunday, Biden accused Trump of “recklessly encouraging violence”.

“He may believe tweeting about law and order makes him strong – but his failure to call on his supporters to stop seeking conflict shows just how weak he is. He may think that war in our streets is good for his reelection chances, but that is not presidential leadership – or even basic human compassion.”

Republicans accuse Democratic mayors and state governors of losing control of cities rocked by demonstrations that have seen outbreaks of violence, arson and vandalism.

US Representative Karen Bass, a Democrat who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, said Trump’s trip to Kenosha would only increase tensions.

“His visit has one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to agitate things,” she told CNN’s “State of the Union”.

“We’re 66 days from an election and I think it’s a tragedy that we have a president that is doing everything he can to fan the flames.”

Anger over Blake’s shooting sparked three nights of unrest in Kenosha, including clashes between anti-racism protesters and armed militia members.

On Tuesday, a white teenager with a semi-automatic rifle shot three demonstrators, killing two of them.

The 17-year-old suspect, Kyle Rittenhouse, is charged with six criminal counts, including first-degree homicide, in connection with the incident, which was captured in several witness videos.

His lawyers say he acted in self-defence after travelling to Kenosha from his home 50km away in Antioch, Illinois, to help protect businesses during the unrest.

They called his prosecution “a reactionary rush to appease the divisive, destructive forces currently roiling this country”.

Rittenhouse has also received support from some right-wing commentators who have hailed the former YMCA lifeguard as a hero who wanted to help law enforcement.

Another flashpoint has been Portland, Oregon, where one person was shot and killed late on Saturday after three months of nightly protests since the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.

The Portland shooting came after a caravan of Trump supporters drove into the downtown area where there were confrontations with protesters, according to videos posted on social media.

Police urged the public to let detectives do their work before drawing conclusions about what took place.

Trump sent several tweets and retweets at the weekend criticising Portland’s Democratic mayor, Ted Wheeler, and again urging him to request help from federal law enforcement.

“The people of Portland, like all other cities & parts of our great Country, want Law & Order,” Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

“The only way you will stop the violence in the high crime Democrat-run cities is through strength!”

Biden has defended peaceful protesters, saying justice must be done, but he has repeatedly called for an end to violence.

In his statement on Sunday, he called the Portland violence “unacceptable”.

Asked on CBS’ “Face the Nation” whether Trump’s social media posts were heightening tensions, acting Homeland Security secretary Chad Wolf said “absolutely not.”

Pressed on whether local law enforcement should crackdown on violence by pro-Trump groups as well as by anti-racism protesters, Wolf said he wanted them to “address any violent activity”.

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Home baker creates hibiscus-inspired cake for Merdeka Day

Jessica poses with her three-tiered hibiscus-inspired cake that she created to celebrate Malaysia’s 63rd Merdeka Day.

PETALING JAYA: There are many ways to express how one is proud to be Malaysian and the month of Merdeka sees no shortage of creative social media postings, paintings and writings about the subject.

Jessica Winston Jap, a 31-year-old baker from Jakarta, who resides in Malaysia, took to doing what she loves best – decorating a hibiscus-inspired cake to commemorate Malaysia’s 63rd Merdeka Day.

Besides using the national flower as the theme for her main cake, Jessica also created a special ondeh-ondeh-flavoured cake for Merdeka Day featuring the Jalur Gemilang.

Jessica took five days to conceptualise the design of the elaborate hibiscus-inspired Merdeka Day cake.

The owner of two blooming businesses, JessiCakery in Jakarta and Pétale Sucré in Kuala Lumpur, Jessica tells FMT that she has been baking and decorating cakes for the past 10 years.

But it hasn’t all been gumdrops and sprinkles for her as she had to make the difficult decision to move permanently here with her Malaysian husband.

“In Jakarta, I would be up to my eyeballs with at least 30 to 40 cake orders a month. I also taught students who were interested in baking and cake decoration.

“I moved to Malaysia in 2017 and spent a lot of my days in tears. No one was purchasing my cakes because I wasn’t the best at marketing my brand here,” she explains.

Fortunately, her sister-in-law, who is a teacher, came to her aid and by word of mouth, Jessica’s beautiful cakes soon became the talk of the town.

Jessica says there are stark differences between her customers back in Indonesia and those in Malaysia.

“In Indonesia, people love to buy artistic cakes but Malaysians are often drawn to simple cakes, which can be frustrating for me because my passion is decorating cakes.

With nimble fingers, Jessica puts the final touches to her cake.

“Most Malaysians purchase cakes only to celebrate special occasions but in Jakarta, even if there is no celebration, they still purchase entire cakes to consume at home,” she says, adding that Malaysians also tend to want their cakes delivered to them free of charge, something she agrees to only if they are regulars.

Apart from the ordinary red velvets, vanillas and chocolates that one can expect to find, Pétale Sucré also incorporates Indonesian flavours that are truly delicious and unexpected.

Feel like sampling a slice of sponge cake frosted with buttercream and topped with grated cheddar cheese? According to Jessica, this is a favourite back home as well as her Belgian chocolate cake.

Jessica’s not-so-secret love is cake decorating and flowers, so she combined them, specialising in buttercream and sugar flowers.

Elegantly placed on a marble table in Jessica’s cake decorating room is a gorgeous three-tiered cake, decorated in deep blue fondant icing with etchings of the various states of Malaysia.

The highlights of this cake are hands-down the realistic-looking sugar flowers, which to the untrained eye look like real hibiscus. Adding an accent of elegance is a golden sheet of baked Vietnamese rice paper.

Decorating this mesmerising cake was no easy task – Jessica says the sugar flowers alone took three arduous days to bring to life.

Jessica took three days to make this beautiful hibiscus sugar flower.

“I drew inspiration from the Malaysian flag. Blue represents the unity of the Malaysian people, yellow pays respect to the rulers and the hibiscus is the obvious one, Malaysia’s national flower,” said Jessica who wracked her brain for five days to come up with the design for the perfect Merdeka cake.

Jessica’s Jalur Gemilang cake meanwhile is a fluffy, airy pandan cake ala ondeh-ondeh, as it is layered with a generous amounts of grated coconut soaked in gula melaka and finished off with a buttercream Malaysia Prihatin logo.

Jessica’s second cake is an ondeh-ondeh-flavoured cake to honour Malaysia’s love for its traditional sweet treats.

“During the Movement Control Order, I noticed many people were selling ondeh-ondeh-flavoured cakes and that it is a true Malaysian dessert loved by many, so I decided to incorporate those flavours in this cake,” Jessica told FMT.

Just like everyone else, the Covid-19 lockdown affected Jessica. She has been unable to return to Jakarta to teach her students but, fortunately, the number of orders she’s received during these troubled times have increased.

Those most requested are her soft and chewy cookies and buttercream flower cakes. Well, comfort food does get people through tough times so no surprise there.

Jessica placing the finishing touches onto the buttercream Malaysia Prihatin logo.

This home baker dreams of setting up her own cosy little shop in Malaysia someday, filled with the most delicious pastries and cakes. “I realise I can’t just sell cakes, so I need to hone my pastry-making skills. I hope my dream comes true.”

Jessica’s beautiful cakes can be ordered at Pétale Sucré and JessiCakery.

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