Latest news with #Chan
Borneo Post
an hour ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
Australia Northern Territory minister's visit reinforces relations with Sarawak
Chan (third left) presents a memento to Cahill. At second right is Hii. KUCHING (June 28): The Australia Northern Territory Government hosted a networking dinner here in conjunction with its Minister for Trade, Business and Asian Relations Robyn Cahill's visit to Sarawak recently. Cahill, who led a seven-member delegation, was in the state capital to discuss potential cooperation between Sarawak and the Northern Territory, given their shared interest in a number of common areas. Representing the state government at the event was Deputy State Secretary Datu Hii Chang Kee, said Sarawak Australia Business Chamber president Rodger Chan in a statement today. In his speech at the dinner, Chan said the programme marked Cahill's first visit to Sarawak. 'This is significant as she has skipped other parts of Malaysia. 'This shows the Northern Territory Government's and her seriousness in engaging with Sarawak. 'There is also a Department of Asian Relations in her government, and this shows how the Northern Territory Government is serious about and focusing on Asia,' he said. Chan added that Cahill's visit to Sarawak reignited the long-standing relationship between Australia and Sarawak, noting that this year marked the 70th anniversary of Australia-Malaysia diplomatic relationship. 'It also marks the 80th anniversary of the landing of Australia and ANZAC forces landing in Bario under Operation Semut. In fact, Australia was here more than 80 years ago to help Sarawak in defending the Japanese occupation,' added Chan. He said since the 1950s, many Sarawakians had, under the Colombo Plan programme, benefitted from Australia tertiary education, and many of them had become leaders of Sarawak. 'The guestimate is that over 40,000 Sarawakians were educated in Australia – not counting those who studied in the two Australian university campuses in Sarawak.' Chan said many people were not aware that the Colombo Plan did not stop at education, as it also extended to infrastructures and services. 'An Australian engineering firm designed and built the Satok Bridge under the Colombo Plan. 'I think we should capitalise, monetise and build on this long-standing relationship. 'There are opportunities aplenty in many fields including green energy, digital technologies, tourism, education, health, trade and sports,' he added. Australia Northern Territory Kuching Robyn Cahill
Borneo Post
3 hours ago
- Health
- Borneo Post
Development plans to ease long-standing parking crisis at QEH
Chan (second from left), Phoong and Sabin putting up a war on sugar awareness poster at a kopitiam in Foh Sang. KOTA KINABALU (June 28): Kota Kinabalu member of parliament Datuk Chan Foong Hin has called on the Federal Government and the Ministry of Health to address the persistent shortage of parking at Queen Elizabeth Hospital I (QEH I), a long-standing issue that continues to affect residents in Kota Kinabalu. He said the matter has finally gained serious attention at the federal level, with preliminary plans for QEH I now underway following a meeting earlier this year between Sabah's Minister of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship cum Luyang assemblyman Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, and Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. 'Phoong met with the Federal Health Minister on behalf of the state government to raise this issue, and the response has been positive and encouraging. 'We will continue to push for practical solutions to ensure better access to essential healthcare facilities for the public,' he said. Speaking at the 'Program War on Sugar Kota Kinabalu' community health programme held at the Foh Sang multi-storey car park in Luyang on Saturday, Chan noted that the opening of the new parking facility has already helped ease traffic congestion and parking difficulties in the surrounding neighbourhood. 'We are fully aware that the people of Kota Kinabalu have long hoped for improved parking facilities, especially at the city's two main hospitals – Queen Elizabeth Hospital I (QEH I) and Queen Elizabeth Hospital II (QEH II),' he added. Chan, who also serves as Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities, further revealed that a mixed-use development project is in the pipeline near QEH II. The upcoming development, which will integrate medical and commercial components, is expected to provide approximately 1,500 parking bays – helping to further alleviate parking and traffic concerns in the area. Separately, Chan highlighted the findings of the 2024 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), which reported that 63% of Malaysian adolescents and 43% of adults consume excessive amounts of free sugar daily – exceeding the World Health Organization's recommendation of no more than 7.5 teaspoons per day. 'This is a worrying trend. Excessive sugar intake is linked to a host of non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease – all of which place a heavy burden on the country's healthcare system,' he warned. In response, his parliamentary office partnered with the Sabah State Health Department to organise Saturday's health outreach event, combining a health exhibition, free screenings, sugar reduction awareness, and various community service booths to promote healthier lifestyle habits. He noted that the War on Sugar campaign is part of a nationwide initiative by the Ministry of Health to promote healthy eating, raise awareness about the dangers of excessive sugar consumption, and provide essential health services such as screenings and vaccinations. On a lighter note, Chan shared that he, too, has adopted a healthier diet by switching to sugar-free beverages, opting for 'kopi-o kosong' or Americano. The event was also attended by Phoong, Kota Kinabalu Mayor Datuk Seri Sabin Samitah, as well as representatives from the Kota Kinabalu City Hall, Royal Malaysia Police and the Sabah State Health Department.
Barnama
3 hours ago
- General
- Barnama
Fires Spread Fast, No Time To Save Anything – Hutan Melintang Fire Victim
BAGAN DATUK, June 28 (Bernama) -- A victim of the Hutan Melintang fire near here early this morning recalled that the blaze spread quickly, preventing them from saving their belongings. The speed of the 4.30 am fire was such that it ripped through 23 premises at Bagan Pasir Laut, including 19 houses, one non-Muslim house of worship, two eateries, and a sundry shop. 'The fire spread too fast, and we didn't have time to save any valuable belongings,' said Chan Huan Peng. The 56-year-old said most of the residents involved were asleep at the time of the incident, and some homeowners were away on holiday. Chan said his brother-in-law woke him after he smelled smoke and was told that their neighbour's house was on fire. 'When I looked out the window, I saw the house behind ours was already burning. The fire spread quite fast. My brother-in-law and I managed to splash water on the rear of our home. 'Then I helped douse water on the wall of another neighbour's house, as the family was away in Kuala Lumpur at the time. The situation was chaotic until the fire department arrived,' he told Bernama today. Chan said that although the blaze destroyed many homes, he was relieved that there were no casualties. Another victim, Chan Huan Han, 40, said he was sleeping with his wife and child when he received a phone call from his mother in Melaka informing him of the fire.
The Star
3 hours ago
- General
- The Star
Fire spread too quickly, no time to save anything, says Hutang Melintang fire victim
BAGAN DATUK: A victim of the Hutan Melintang fire near here early Saturday (June 28) morning recalled that the blaze spread quickly, preventing them from saving their belongings. The speed of the 4.30 am fire was such that it ripped through 23 premises at Bagan Pasir Laut, including 19 houses, one non-Muslim house of worship, two eateries, and a sundry shop. "The fire spread too fast, and we didn't have time to save any valuable belongings,' said Chan Huan Peng. The 56-year-old said most of the residents involved were asleep at the time of the incident, and some homeowners were away on holiday. Chan said his brother-in-law woke him after he smelled smoke and was told that their neighbour's house was on fire. "When I looked out the window, I saw the house behind ours was already burning. The fire spread quite fast. My brother-in-law and I managed to splash water on the rear of our home. "Then I helped douse water on the wall of another neighbour's house, as the family was away in Kuala Lumpur at the time. The situation was chaotic until the fire department arrived,' he told Bernama on Saturday. Chan said that although the blaze destroyed many homes, he was relieved that there were no casualties. Another victim, Chan Huan Han, 40, said he was sleeping with his wife and child when he received a phone call from his mother in Melaka informing him of the fire. "I woke my wife so we could get our child out of the house. When we stepped outside, people were trying to stop the fire from spreading further. "The flames spread so quickly that we panicked and didn't have time to do anything except save ourselves and wait for the firefighters to arrive,' he said. He added that after ensuring his family's safety, he joined other residents in assisting the fire department to put out the fire.- Bernama
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘We are not at war, but neither are we at peace': Chan Chun Sing
SINGAPORE – Singapore has to raise its vigilance in various places given the conflicts around the world, as it is unclear if it could become 'collateral in other people's fight', said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing. He noted that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is dealing with a range of threats and challenges daily across all four of its services. 'Today, we are not at war in the conventional sense, neither are we at peace in the conventional sense,' he told reporters in an interview on June 25. 'We are always operating somewhere in between, with different gradations. And that's what keeps us on our toes.' Mr Chan cited how the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) and other government agencies deal with thousands of attempts to penetrate Singapore's cyber systems every day, without naming those behind these attacks. 'Sometimes it could be just people fooling around, but often, I think people are doing this very intentionally and probably with malicious intent,' he said. It is a round-the-clock operation to protect Singapore's cyber domain, he added, noting that a breach could mean not just a hit to the country's reputation or the loss of some classified information, but real consequences for its power grid and financial and water systems. There are also constant efforts to secure Singapore's airspace and territorial waters. Mr Chan said the air force responds to hundreds of cases every year, some requiring air defence assets to be scrambled to verify unknown threats. 'For the navy, it is the same thing,' said Mr Chan, who was chief of army before entering politics. 'The number of ships that sail through the narrow Singapore Strait, the number of boardings that we have to (do to) check and verify to make sure that the strait remains safe from threat actors, that goes into the hundreds as well and, in fact, sometimes the thousands.' In the information sphere, people are constantly trying to shape how Singaporeans think – another threat the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) counters daily, he said. 'The type of information operations that people conduct, perhaps directly on us and sometimes indirectly on us, where we are the collateral, is also not something that we will take lightly.' Mr Chan spoke to the media at Mindef's headquarters in Bukit Gombak ahead of SAF Day on July 1, amid rising global tensions fuelled by escalating conflict in the Middle East. Addressing the conflict between Iran and Israel, which also involved the US bombing Iran's nuclear facilities, he said retaliation from Iran may not be limited to targets in America or Israel. 'It could be anywhere else,' Mr Chan said, adding: 'It could also stoke up emotions in the region, and we must be careful that these do not spill into terrorist activities.' There are greater security concerns because of these conflicts, he said, noting that the threats now go beyond conventional terrorism and extend into new areas such as cyberspace. Similarly, the nature of threats that Singapore faces has changed, Mr Chan said. While some technologies, such as computer viruses and drones, are not new, the way and intensity in which they are applied have evolved, he said. The lines between military and civilian use of these technologies have also blurred, he added. Moving forward, security operations will be more decentralised, with troops operating in smaller units, he noted. This plays into the SAF's strengths, Mr Chan said. The SAF has never relied on the size of its troops since 1965, but on technology as a force multiplier, he noted. 'If anything, going forward, the new generations of technology that is coming in across the world will allow the SAF to multiply its manpower capabilities even more.' Another strength is the quality of manpower and leadership it has, he said. Mr Chan said some believe that having full-time national servicemen (NSFs) or national servicemen (NSmen) is a disadvantage for the SAF. 'We never think so, because by having NSF and NSmen, we are able to have the best across society operating our systems, participating in the design of our systems.' This is why the SAF can operate with more decentralisation, he added. There will be more leadership opportunities for these groups going forward, he said, noting that this does not just refer to an increase in the number of soldiers attending SAF leadership schools, he said. It also means more leadership at different levels and more of such opportunities for many NSFs, he said. Mr Chan gave an example from the DIS, the SAF's newest service, where soldiers operate in groups as small as three or five, compared with traditional army companies that can have around 100 men. 'Each and every one of them must be able to take (on) leadership because of the technology that they are using and applying.' Going forward, the SAF will continue to spend prudently and in areas that will 'give us bang for (our) buck', Mr Chan said. It will not simply target a certain amount of expenditure but ensure that spending is sustainable because building new capacities takes many years, he said. 'What we don't want is what we call the 'feast and famine' kind of spending, where you buy a lot of things when you have money, and then you find that you can't maintain it,' he added. 'That's not how we stretch the defence dollar.' Over the last few years, defence spending has hovered around 3 per cent of Singapore's gross domestic product (GDP), Mr Chan noted. This does not include security spending outside Mindef, such as on the Home Team and cyber security. The minister was answering a question on whether Singapore's current spending is sufficient given the global security situation. There have been calls in the region for an increase in defence spending. At the Shangri-La Dialogue in May, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth asked American allies in the Indo-Pacific to raise their defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP. Mr Chan said the SAF has been fortunate to have the public and political support to spend up to 6 per cent of GDP. There will be areas that will require more spending because of the new nature of warfare, he added. 'Today there are also new opportunities for us to look at other low-cost options to complement what we have and what we need,' he said. 'We will continue on that trajectory.' On adopting new technology, Mr Chan said the SAF is constantly looking at emerging tech such as artificial intelligence, but does not want to be caught up in fads. 'We've been looking at many of these technologies for many years. We want to be able to apply them to what we call 'tangible use cases',' he said. 'So, it's not applying things in general, but very specifically how it helps us.' While the SAF constantly tracks changes to warfare, such as the increased use of drones and cyber attacks, its challenge is to predict what new threats will emerge in the future, Mr Chan said. This is so that the SAF can put in place programmes to develop capabilities to counter these threats even before they emerge and be able to deal with them by the time they do. He made the point that the SAF does not build new capabilities just because there is a new defence minister. After a recent Cabinet reshuffle, Mr Chan took over the portfolio from Dr Ng Eng Hen, who was defence minister from 2011 to 2025 and retired ahead of the 2025 General Election. 'Many of the capabilities that the SAF has today are built up through the generations,' he said, including those that were mooted during or before his stint as chief of army from 2010 to 2011. That is why many SAF projects are classified, so the force remains ahead of the curve, he said. 'We don't always publicise all that we do, but at the appropriate time, we will reveal those capabilities to let Singaporeans have the confidence that we are ready,' he said. 'And there'll be many capabilities in the SAF which we will never reveal. The fact that we don't have to reveal them, we don't have to use them by the time they get retired – to us, that is success.' Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
