Latest news with #Rela
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Malay Mail
Sabotage fears amid massive KLIA, JB checkpoint jams from autogate glitch this weekend
JOHOR BAHRU, July 19 — Tens of thousands of foreign visitors have reportedly found themselves unable to use autogate facilities at major entry points to Malaysia. The Star reported that long queues have formed at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport's Terminal 1 and 2, and Johor Bahru's Sultan Iskandar and Sultan Abu Bakar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine centres. 'Weekends are a busy period and Immigration officers have been told to open all lanes to clear the passports manually,' an unnamed official at the Sultan Iskandar complex was quoted by the paper. The disruption reportedly started around noon yesterday, affecting 200 autogates nationwide. Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the failure and are investigating possible sabotage or hacking. The biggest disruptions happened at the two centres in Johor Bahru, which receives influx of Singaporean visitors on a regular basis — especially on weekend. People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) personnel were deployed to help manage the crowds at the two land checkpoints with Singapore, while Immigration Department officers initiated contra lanes at both bus halls to speed up processing. Efforts were still ongoing to restore the nationwide system, at the time of writing. Since June 2024, autogate access has been extended to visitors from 63 countries, as well as diplomats and their family members. Malaysia has since deployed the QR code system at major entry points starting January this year to cut down on waiting time for foreign visitors.
Daily Express
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Express
Keeping Dusun Tindal tradition alive
Published on: Sunday, July 06, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jul 06, 2025 By: R Gonzales Text Size: Children taking part in the 'Rebut Mahligai' event. WEDDING ceremonies in Kampung Piasau, Kota Belud, have become vibrant showcases of Dusun Tindal cultural traditions, drawing hundreds of guests to witness age-old customs that continue to thrive in the modern era. Village head Limpu Miod, 70, said these traditional festivities begin after the formal religious ceremony, when newlyweds change from Western attire into traditional 'Sinipak' clothing worn by the Dusun Tindal, Bajau Samah and Iranun communities. Advertisement The celebration's centrepiece is a colourful procession featuring a specially decorated four-wheel vehicle designed to resemble a boat, known as 'kereta perahu'. The bride and groom, accompanied by their wedding party, are paraded through the village in this ornate vehicle adorned with traditional fabrics - a practice that dates back to pre-digital times when it served as a community-wide wedding invitation. 'This method was used long ago when there were no phones or internet to inform villagers about wedding celebrations,' Limpu. 'We maintain this tradition to ensure our Dusun Tindal identity is not eroded by modern technology,' he added. The procession concludes with the traditional 'Sipak Manggis' ceremony, where couples circle a 15m bamboo pole three times. Unlike sepak takraw, the groom kicks a ball thrown by the bride toward a decorated miniature house suspended from the pole. This ritual officially marks the wedding's commencement. Originally, the hanging container held mangosteen fruit, but modern celebrations feature cash prizes and gifts. The game continues with family members and guests participating to win prizes, fostering community bonds and strengthening relationships between families. Children enjoy their own tradition called 'Rebut Mahligai' where snacks, chocolates, and money-filled envelopes are suspended from a decorated frame for youngsters 12 and under to collect under adult supervision, including volunteers from the Malaysian Volunteer Department (Rela). The festivities conclude with Sumazau dancing performed by cultural dancers, typically close relatives of the couple, accompanied by traditional gongs, drums and kulintangan music. Rayner, 25, a family member from the Dusun Liwan community in Kiulu, Tuaran, described the experience as uniquely harmonious. 'This was my first time riding the 'kereta perahu' as a groomsman and wearing traditional Sinipak clothing while playing 'Sipak Manggis,'' he said. The celebration, attended by over 500 guests, showed how traditional wedding customs continue to serve as vital platforms for preserving ethnic heritage while strengthening community bonds across generations.
Daily Express
01-07-2025
- General
- Daily Express
Jasty wins slingshot competition
Published on: Tuesday, July 01, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jul 01, 2025 By: Clarence Dol Text Size: Mohd Ramdan (left) presents the champion's prize to Jasty. RANAU: Jasty Muhinin emerged as the champion of the Sarayo Open Slingshot Competition held at the Dewan Mini Marandawi, Kampung Tungou, here recently. With the victory, Jasty won a cash prize of RM300 after collecting 33 points, beating 68 other participants. Locote emerged as the runner-up and received a cash prize of RM200 and Abang Topel Trepedo in third place received a prize of RM150. The Sarayo Open Slingshot Competition received an encouraging response from the youth of the Ranau district and from other districts when it recorded a total of 69 entries. The competition, which was held for the first time here, was organised by the 0010 Rela Platoon of Kg Tungou in collaboration with the Tungou Villa Slingshot Community (TVSC). The competition was officiated by the Ranau District Rela Officer PgR Mohd Ramdan Raidin and was attended by members of the 0010 Rela Platoon of Kg Tungou and local residents. Mohd Ramdan in his speech, praised 0010 Rela Platoon of Kg Tungou for taking the initiative to diversify activities aimed at strengthening the bonds among Rela members as well as creating unity among the population. 'Competitions like this are able to create a spirit of tolerance, brotherhood and close unity among us and definitely should be continued in the future,' he said. TVSC Chairman, Hazrin @ Idan Jurus expressed his appreciation and gratitude for Mohd Ramdan's presence as well as the cooperation of all Rela members and TVSC members who worked hard to organise the Slingshot tournament. 'We are also grateful for the large number of participants in this competition and hope that the number of participants will greatly increase in future events,' he said. A slingshot competition generally refers to events where participants compete in accuracy and skill using slingshots. These competitions can range from informal gatherings to more structured events with various target types and distances. Competitive slingshot shooting or catapult shooting is gaining popularity, with events held internationally in countries like Spain, Italy and China. The Slingshot World Cup is one of the most prestigious competitions, attracting participants globally who demonstrate their accuracy and skill by aiming at various targets. In Sabah, slingshot competition has been included as a people's sport for a long time and recently the event has gained popularity among the people, as small competitions are often held by various organisers. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
30-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
No Malaysians involved in Bangladeshi militant group
On the ground: Saifuddin nasution (centre) posing with officers and members of the Malaysian Volunteer department (Rela) at Rela's 2025 Civil adoption Village and School Launch Ceremony at the Hulu Terengganu district Council Hall. — Bernama KUALA BERANG: No Malaysians were recruited into the recently- uncovered foreign militant network linked to Bangladeshi nationals, confirms Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. The Home Minister said investigations by the police's Special Branch revealed that the group, which aimed to spread extremist ideology rooted in Islamic State (IS) beliefs, involved only Bangladeshi nationals. 'Their activities were focused on violent extremism with the objective of toppling the government in their country of origin (Bangladesh),' he said to reporters after launching a programme here, Bernama reported. 'It is important to inform the public that our security forces are on high alert. If such activities are not addressed firmly, they could pose a serious threat to national security.' The Home Minister had recently revealed that police dismantled a foreign militant network with the arrest of 36 Bangladeshi nationals suspected of direct involvement in the radical movement. The group was said to have created a recruitment cell within their community to indoctrinate their radical beliefs, collect funds for terrorist operations and topple the government in their home countries. Five of the suspects had been charged in Shah Alam and Johor Baru, 15 were issued with deportation orders while 16 are still being investigated for their roles in the movement. On another matter, Saifuddin Nasution said the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) will soon undergo restructuring to enhance its effectiveness, with the police taking the lead. 'Previously, the police, Bank Negara and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) shared oversight of the NSRC which led to certain operational shortcomings. 'Under the new structure, the police will directly receive scam reports, record the necessary details and notify the relevant banks immediately to freeze the victim's account. 'Efforts to recover stolen funds will follow promptly,' he said. The restructuring will also see the NSRC's 997 hotline operate 24 hours a day, allowing victims to lodge reports at any time. The number of staff will also be increased to improve response time and victim support. Saifuddin Nasution added that the proposed improvements have been approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and will be implemented soon.
Borneo Post
18-06-2025
- Borneo Post
Former Rela personnel gets 30 years, 12 strokes for murder
Photo for illustration purposes only. – Photo from KOTA KINABALU (June 18): The Court of Appeal here on Wednesday sentenced a former Rela personnel to 30 years' jail plus 12 whippings for murdering his friend during a drinking session in Kudat six years ago. Justice Dato' Hj Azman Abdullah, who sat together with Justices Datuk Azhahari Kamal Ramli and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin, unanimously substituted the death sentence imposed on Donny @ Mohd Nazmie Musanna, 45, with jail and whipping punishment and affirmed his conviction. The jail term will be counted from the date of his arrest on March 27, 2019. On December 7, 2022, a High Court here sentenced Donny to death penalty after he was found guilty of committing the crime against Ampukir Aladau, 64, at the Tomborungus Tamu area in Kudat on March 26, 2019. Donny, who was represented by counsel Amli Nohin, was convicted under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
