Latest news with #RM3.8
The Sun
13 hours ago
- The Sun
Court of Appeal upholds forfeiture of ex-Terengganu assemblyman's wife's car
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has upheld the forfeiture of a Proton X70 worth RM115,000 belonging to Aida Tengah, wife of former Terengganu assemblyman Datuk Tengku Hassan Tengku Omar. A three-judge panel unanimously dismissed her appeal, ruling that the prosecution had proven the car was linked to corruption offences. The panel, comprising Justices Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Datuk Azman Abdullah, and Datuk Ahmad Fairuz Zainal Abidin, agreed with earlier court decisions that the forfeiture was justified under Section 41(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009. Justice Ahmad Fairuz stated that the case was an 'in-rem' proceeding, meaning the lawsuit targeted the asset rather than the individual. The court found that the car was purchased using funds misappropriated by Abdul Ahad Khan, a board member of Hygenia Sdn Bhd, who was entrusted with RM3.8 million in investment funds. The RM115,000 used to buy the vehicle was part of the misused money. Additionally, the court ruled that Aida's husband, as a public servant, had received the car as a gift without proper justification under Section 165 of the Penal Code. The Kuala Terengganu Sessions Court initially ordered the forfeiture on May 8, 2023, a decision later upheld by the High Court on March 14 last year. Today's ruling solidifies the forfeiture, marking the end of Aida's legal challenge. Deputy public prosecutors Farah Yasmin Salleh and Muhammad Asraf Mohamad Tahir represented the prosecution, while lawyer Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud acted for Aida. – Bernama
New Straits Times
14 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Appeals Court upholds forfeiture of Proton X70 gifted to ex-Terengganu assemblyman's wife
PUTRAJAYA: The wife of a former Terengganu state assemblyman has failed in her appeal to reverse a forfeiture order for a Proton X70 worth RM115,000, which was gifted to her by a foreigner with official links to her husband. A three-judge Court of Appeal panel led by Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim unanimously dismissed the appeal of Aida Tengah, 50, and ordered that the sports utility vehicle be forfeited to the government. Aida is the wife of Tengku Datuk Hassan Tengku Omar, the former Ladang state assemblyman, former Terengganu Foundation Investment Committee chairman, and former state executive councillor for trade, industry, regional development and state wellbeing. Zaidi, who sat with judges Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin, upheld the decision of the Kuala Terengganu Sessions Court on May 8, 2023, affirmed by the Kuala Terengganu High Court on March 14 last year. The judgment read out by Ahmad Fairuz said the lower courts' rulings were right and that the forfeiture of the car was not personal in nature. He said the prosecution had successfully proven on a balance of probabilities with strong and detailed evidence that the vehicle is linked to the offence committed under Sections 409 and 165 of the Penal Code. Section 409 deals with criminal breach of trust (CBT) by a public servant while Section 165 reads a public servant obtaining valuable items from individuals with whom they have official dealings. Fairuz said an investigation showed that Bangladeshi Abdul Ahad Khan, a board of director of Hygenia Sdn Bhd, had committed CBT by misappropriating RM3.8 million worth of investment funds for his personal use as well as the car purchase. He said it was clear that Tengku Hassan, who was a civil servant, had received the car as a gift for Aida from Ahad, with whom he had official dealings. "If it is true that the appellant (Aida) and her husband had made repayments of the car, it does not change the legal status of the car, which was obtained in the wrong and illegal way. "In this case, there are a few factors that showed the appellant had acted not in good faith because of the suspicious way the car was purchased through Ahad. "There was no reasonable need to purchase a car through a third party (Ahad) who is not a car dealer and whom they had met for the first time. They had also failed to probe and verify Ahad's source of funds," he said. Aida was not present in court as her attendance had been exempted due to health reasons. The prosecution had previously obtained the consent to prosecute Ahad but he has since fled the country. The prosecution was represented by deputy public prosecutors Farah Yasmin Salleh and Ashraf Tahir. Lawyers Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud, Abdul Hayyi Salim and Diyana Ibrahim acted for Aida.
The Sun
06-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
TikTok Shop emerging as growth driver for Malaysian SMEs through ‘shoppertainment'
PETALING JAYA: TikTok Shop is emerging as the growth driver for Malaysian small and medium enterprises through its social media engagement and e-commerce combination known as 'shoppertainment'. For local creators interviewed by SunBiz, the platform has become a game changer. Pinn Yang, for example, said TikTok Shop finally bridged the gap between content discovery and actual sales conversion. 'Before this, even with our strong following, there was no direct way to turn discovery into purchase. With TikTok Shop, we closed that gap,' he said. His team grew from experimenting with live selling to generating over RM3.8 million in sales during the Yang Riang Raya campaign within a year. The secret, he said, lies not just in using the platform, but in the speed of testing, feedback and adaptation. 'People think you need a big audience or fancy equipment. But when we started, it was just me, a phone and a ring light. What really matters is consistency and truly understanding what your audience wants.' For Puspa Gomen, TikTok Shop transformed her brand by simplifying the buying process and expanding reach. 'Some of my TikTok videos reached up to eight million views, and in just three months, I made almost half a million in sales,' she shared. She added live streams allow buyers to see products in action, ask questions and build trust in real time which are crucial for driving repeat purchases. Eira Syazira, founder of Candyta, echoed the sentiments, calling TikTok Shop a game changer that enabled rapid scaling far beyond traditional retail. In just six months, Candyta saw sales surge, with 35% now coming from returning customers and its follower count multiplying fivefold. Meanwhile, Nabilah Nazib of Sugardoll described TikTok Shop as a pivotal shift from a labour-intensive, agent-based system to a direct-to-consumer model. 'Previously, our revenue relied on manual order-taking. Now, sales are driven by content, not manpower. Stock sells out in hours after a viral live,' she said. Beyond reduced acquisition costs and faster sellouts, she noted that genuine, problem-solving content matters more than follower count. 'This proves that today, scaling a brand is less about team size and more about being visible, relatable, and consistent.' Syeikh Omar Sadeq, another creator, saw sales jump two to three times after joining TikTok Shop. 'Short videos help build community, while live sessions let us explain products and connect directly. Many customers return because they feel more confident after watching our lives,' he said. Contrary to popular belief, creators said TikTok Shop isn't just for young shoppers or cheap products. Premium offerings can succeed too if the story, authenticity and community connection are strong. The latest data on TikTok Shop's global gross merchandise value (GMV) shows that consumers in Malaysia spent a whopping US$2.724 billion (about RM12.07 billion) in 2024. According to TikTok Shop's GMV in Malaysia grew 104% year-on-year from US$1.3 billion in 2023, making Malaysia one of the platform's top six markets globally. TikTok Shop is not just expanding rapidly, it is outpacing traditional giants in percentage growth and positioning itself as the second-largest platform in the market. Data from showed Shopee is leading the Malaysian market with US$7.24 billion in GMV for 2024, followed by TikTok Shop and Taobao. However, Tik-Tok Shop is leading the surge in live and video commerce in Southeast Asia, where players like Shopee and Lazada are playing catch-up.
New Straits Times
30-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
News@9: Today's top headlines - May 30, 2025 [WATCH]
Here are today's biggest stories. 'I'm not a dictator' Stressing the need for an all-out war against corruption, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said any prosecution related to corruption must be based on evidence, not arbitrary instructions. Police have, to date, frozen RM3.8 billion in assets in connection with an investment scam linked to Mobility Beyond Imagination. The East Coast Rail Link project, which stretches across Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor, is expected to be 90 per cent complete by year-end. RM400k for defamation Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has won RM400,000 in damages in her defamation suit against UUM lecturer Dr Kamarul Zaman Yusoff over two Facebook posts published in 2017. That's it for News@9.
Daily Express
11-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
‘Repair instead of replace' advice: How Sabahans can reduce and upcycle e-waste materials
Published on: Sunday, May 11, 2025 Published on: Sun, May 11, 2025 By: Audrey J Ansibin Text Size: The Sabah Computer Society team with some of the e-waste items during the collection drive, recently. (Pic: SCS) MALAYSIA'S rapid digitalisation is inadvertently contributing to the rising electronic waste (e-waste) crisis. The status symbol of having the latest gadgets coupled with corporations' Planned Obsolescence practice are driving the rise in prematurely discarded e-waste materials into landfills and dumpsites across the country. News portals were recently abuzz with nationwide crackdown on illegal e-waste sites, dubbed the 'Op Hazard', which involved the police and Department of Environment (DoE), among other agencies. The raids saw RM3.8 billion worth of materials seized from illegal e-waste processing sites. Portals like MM and FMT reported that based on consumers' spending habits, the country is expected to generate some 24.5 million units of e-waste this year. At State-level, the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) on April 10 announced a strategic partnership with a non-governmental organisation and two private companies to address the matter. The MoU signing ceremony between DBKK, Marine Research Foundation (MRF), Legenda Bumimas Sdn Bhd (LBSB) and My Protech Sdn Bhd (Arus Oil) will overlook issues like floating plastic bottles in the sea, discarded cooking oil and the rise in e-waste including the deployment of a specialised mechanical boat (skimmer boat) to collect waste from coastal waters. At the event, LBSB Managing Director, Datuk Tan Pek Chian, reportedly said the State needs to have more e-waste collection centres. 'Currently, there are no recovery facilities in Sabah. Most of the time, what we are able to do is manual dismantling to properly sort out the plastic, scrap metal and Printed Circuit Board (PCB),' he was quoted as saying. Daily Express reached out to a non-governmental organisation (NGO) Sabah Computer Society (SCS) and the founder of an environment-friendly social enterprise LJD Corporation to get their take on how Sabahans can help reduce the number of e-waste materials being discarded annually. On the State government's recent announcement to tackle sea trash and e-waste, SCS Exco member-cum-organising chairperson for e-waste collection, Walter Cheng, calls it a 'very good initiative'. 'We have been collaborating with DBKK and DoE in all our e-waste collection events for many years. We started collaborating with Lagenda Bumimas Sdn Bhd in 2023. 'I can see that they (State government) are doing their best to keep our State clean and safe. We will also support our State government in the effort of reducing e-waste. Hopefully, these efforts can lead to a cleaner and safer environment,' Walter said. The society is a NGO that promotes ICT and electronic waste awareness in Sabah. 'We have been doing e-waste collection events for many years. Our aim is to create awareness among the public on e-waste recycling and the proper ways to dispose of e-waste,' Walter said, adding that their role is to organise collection events in collaboration with DoE, DBKK and Lagenda Bumimas. Rest of the interview with SCS: DE: What are some of the initiatives you have with the State government (i.e. DBKK)? Sabah Computer Society (SCS): DBKK provides us the venue to carry out our e-waste collection activities while DoE provides us support to run such events. DE: How often do you do e-waste collection events? Any advice to the general public on how they can help lessen the impact of e-waste on the environment in the State? SCS: Basically, we do it twice a year. But, of course, we will try to do more. There are several ways to help lessen the impact of e-waste on the environment. People can repair instead of replace. If an electronic device breaks down, try to repair it rather than buying a new one. Many small electronics can be fixed with minimal cost. Use certified e-waste recycling centres. When you can no longer use a device, ensure it gets recycled properly by taking it to certified e-waste recycling facilities which we (Sabah Computer Society) are collaborating with Lagenda Bumimas Sdn Bhd. These centres are equipped to handle harmful materials like lead, mercury and cadmium safely. Last but not least, choose energy-efficient products with labels (like Energy Star) to reduce both energy consumption and the lifecycle environmental impact. DE: How would you rate e-waste awareness among Sabahans on a scale of 1-10 (one being worst, 10 being best)? SCS: Probably around eight. DE: What is the difference between e-waste collection site and e-waste processing site? SCS: The difference is that for a collection site, we can only do collections and cannot dismantle the waste that is collected whereas the processing site is the factory that can dismantle and process the electronic waste. In Sabah, Lagenda Bumimas Sdn Bhd carry out the process of recycling e-waste. Their factories are based in Telipok. Millennial upcycles e-waste materials into tourism products Meanwhile, LJD Corporation founder Saila Saidie, who was recently featured in the Shell LiveWIRE entrepreneurship programme, expressed her pleasant surprise to learn about such initiatives from the State government. Her organisation's mission aims to transform plastic waste, which can take up to 500 years to decompose, into innovative tourism products and strives to mitigate the environmental impact of plastic waste while driving socio-economic development in the State. Besides plastic waste, Saila and her team also come across discarded e-waste materials like failed 3D prints at the Kayu Madang landfill, which they skilfully upcycle into reusable tourism products. 'In Sabah, more public education is needed. While some awareness campaigns exist, many people are still unaware of the dangers of e-waste and how to dispose of it responsibly,' she said in an interview. When asked to explain e-waste in laymen's terms, she said: 'E-waste, or electronic waste, refers to discarded electronic devices like laptops, mobile phones and home appliances. 'These items contain various toxic components, including heavy metals and plastics, which, if not disposed of properly, can release harmful substances into the environment. 'For example, PVC plastic, commonly used in cable insulation and older electronic casings, is difficult to recycle due to toxic additives. When burned, it releases carcinogenic dioxins, which pose severe health risks to humans and wildlife.' She also spoke about the authorities' recent nationwide crackdown on illegal e-waste sites that are reportedly linked to international syndicates. How do these syndicates benefit from illegal operations? 'These syndicates profit by extracting valuable metals such as gold, silver and copper from e-waste using unsafe methods. 'The illegal operations often exploit cheap labour in developing countries, exposing workers to hazardous substances without proper safety measures. 'I recall reading about a case in Teluk Panglima Garang, where authorities discovered 50 tonnes of spent bullet casings in an illegal e-waste facility. Such operations pose both environmental and security risks,' she added. Saila believes that Malaysia is facing a 'significant' e-waste crisis. 'The problem is only growing. While there are efforts to recycle and upcycle e-waste, they are not widespread enough,' she said. 'Many consumers still do not know how to properly dispose of their electronic waste, leading to improper disposal that harms the environment.' She said based on the more recent figures, reports indicate that the Sabah DoE collected some 191,636kg of e-waste materials between 2016 and 2022. 'This effort highlights the importance of proper disposal and awareness campaigns. E-waste is regulated under the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Waste) Regulations 2005. 'Improper disposal can lead to toxic chemicals leaching into the soil and water, endangering human health and biodiversity. Rest of the interview with Saila: DE: What is the best way to raise awareness about e-waste recycling? SS: Education is key. Public awareness campaigns, workshops, and community engagement programs should be actively promoted. Some businesses in Sabah are already buying broken electronics for refurbishment or recycling, and this initiative should be supported at a larger scale. Government bodies, NGOs, and social enterprises like LJD Corporation can play a crucial role in spreading awareness. DE: How does LJD Corporation contribute to e-waste recycling? Do you upcycle e-waste materials? SS: LJD Corporation focuses on plastic waste recycling, but we also address e-waste issues, especially when it intersects with plastic waste. For example, we upcycle failed 3D prints that contain electronic components. Most of the failed prints we process are made of Polylactic Acid (PLA), a biodegradable thermoplastic derived from renewable sources like corn starch. Additionally, we have observed our beneficiaries at the Kayu Madang landfill collecting wire cables to extract copper for resale, highlighting an informal e-waste recycling economy. DE: Your organisation trains underprivileged individuals in upcycling discarded materials. What positive impact has this initiative created? SS: Our workshops and training programmes have empowered communities by providing them with alternative sources of income. For instance, we conducted a workshop for 50 youths in Kampung Puyut, Lahad Datu, teaching them how to collect and repurpose plastic waste. We also worked with SK Kitapol near Ranau, a rural school, where students learned to upcycle plastic waste using a heat press technique. However, sustaining these efforts requires continuous funding and support. We hope government agencies will step in to help expand these programs. DE: How does e-waste impact humans and the environment? SS: E-waste contains hazardous substances like lead, mercury and cadmium. When improperly disposed of, these toxins contaminate air, water, and soil, leading to health risks such as respiratory issues, neurological damage, and even cancer. Additionally, e-waste contributes to resource depletion, as valuable materials that could be recycled are lost. DE: What should consumers avoid when discarding e-waste? SS: Never throw e-waste into regular trash. Avoid burning or dismantling electronics at home, as it releases toxic chemicals. Instead, take them to certified e-waste collection points or recycling centres. DE: One of the root causes of e-waste is rapid technological innovation, leading to premature device disposal. Do you think big tech companies will change this practice? SS: This practice, known as Planned Obsolescence, is a profit-driven strategy where companies design products with limited lifespan or software compatibility to force consumers into upgrading. I have experienced this firsthand with built-in, non-replaceable batteries in laptops. However, there is hope – movements advocating for the Right to Repair and sustainable design are gaining traction. In the future, AI and emerging technology may reduce reliance on physical devices, but for now, stricter regulations and consumer awareness are essential. DE: How can consumers be more environmentally conscious before upgrading their devices? SS: Repair before replacing. Many devices can be fixed with minor repairs or battery replacements. If an upgrade is necessary, consider donating or selling the old device to extend its lifecycle. DE: As a millennial, do you think your peers are environmentally conscious regarding e-waste? SS: Some are, but many still chase the latest gadgets as status symbols. Awareness is improving, but there is still a long way to go. DE: How can this generation lead an e-waste recycling movement? SS: By taking proactive steps such as learning to repair electronics, repurposing old components, and advocating for better recycling infrastructure. Small actions, like encouraging responsible disposal within their communities, can make a big difference. DE: Does Sabah have a long way to go before recycling becomes a common practice? SS: Yes. Compared to Kuala Lumpur, where recycling habits are more established, Sabah still has a lot of ground to cover. Many people are aware of recycling but do not actively practice it. However, initiatives like Kota Kinabalu City Hall's plastic bag ban have shown positive results. For example, our beneficiaries at the Kayu Madang landfill reported seeing fewer small plastic bags since the ban was enforced. More policies like this can drive behavioural change. Those interested to learn more about Saila's environmental outreach initiatives can visit her official website at Next: Heavy metal contamination in Sabah's marine ecosystem and landfill leachate
