Latest news with #SeberangPerai
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
‘Every child deserves love': About 60 children enter Penang welfare system monthly, but few find adoptive families
GEORGE TOWN, July 12 — Every month, about 60 children are placed under the care of Penang's Welfare Department, but only a handful receive adoption applications. Many are left waiting for a permanent home — a luxury that some of them may never experience. Penang's social development, welfare and non-Islamic religious affairs committee chairman Lim Siew Khim said the department handles about 12 new child protection cases per district each month. 'These numbers vary by district. For instance, Seberang Perai Tengah recorded 25 cases in April, while Seberang Perai Selatan had five,' she told Malay Mail in an interview recently. Yet despite this steady influx, she said only one or two adoption applications are submitted to the department each month. In recent months, she said there has also been a growing number of cases involving children of unknown or foreign parentage. Requirements for adoption Among the requirements to be eligible to adopt a child are being a Malaysian citizen or resident, above the age of 25, and at least 18 years older than the child. Applicants must be legally married for at least five years, although exceptions may be made for those facing fertility challenges. Single applicants are also eligible, but will be subjected to screening. 'Financial stability, good health, and a safe, supportive home environment are also essential criteria,' she said. 'There is no official waiting list for adoption, as each case is evaluated based on eligibility and suitability,' she added. She also revealed that, on several occasions, adoptive parents had returned children to the department — though she did not provide exact figures. 'In some cases, adoptive or biological parents may return children to the department, often due to difficulties with documentation, personal hardships or unplanned pregnancies,' she said. She said the department would then take these children in and continue its efforts to ensure they are placed in a safe and loving environment. 'No children have been permanently left without a solution,' she added. Facilities for vulnerable children As of May this year, the state welfare department has 52 children between the ages of two and 16 under its care. Lim said they are housed at the state's primary care facility, Kompleks Penyayang Sinar Kasih. 'A second facility is currently under reconstruction and is expected to be operational by the last quarter of this year, which will further enhance our capacity to care for vulnerable children,' she said. Lim also said the state has seen a decline in baby abandonment cases — two were recorded last year, and none so far this year. A baby hatch set up in a private hospital in Bukit Mertajam was shut down about two years ago due to it not being used at all. Lim said the state is open to proposals to establish a baby hatch or safe surrender facility as a compassionate and responsible option for unwanted infants. 'However, this requires careful assessment and coordination with relevant agencies to ensure legal compliance and child safety,' she added. Lim is also planning to meet with relevant agencies and non-governmental organisations to discuss establishing a safe surrender facility. 'We remain open to exploring more collaborative efforts, especially around adoption education, child protection campaigns, and family-based care,' she said. She called on prospective adoptive families to reach out to their nearest welfare department office for more information on adoption procedures. 'Every child deserves the right to be loved, protected, and given the opportunity to thrive,' she said.
Malay Mail
22-06-2025
- Malay Mail
Police launch probe as reckless Toyota Harrier SUV driver caught fleeing cops in Seberang Perai Selatan
SEBERANG PERAI, June 21 – The police said they have launched an investigation into a viral video showing a high-speed chase involving a patrol vehicle and a Toyota Harrier at the Jalan Paboi–Bukit Tambun junction yesterday morning. The 18-second video, which began circulating on Facebook, captured the SUV being driven recklessly while attempting to flee from the authorities around 11.15am on June 20. 'The incident involved a Toyota Harrier being driven recklessly and endangering other road users while attempting to evade the authorities,' Seberang Perai Selatan district police chief Superintendent Jay January Siowou said in a statement here. 'Dashcam footage of the incident has since gone viral on social media, prompting widespread public reaction.' Police said a report has been lodged, and investigations are ongoing under Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing a public servant and Section 279 for reckless driving on a public road. He added that the Criminal Investigation Division of the district police headquarters is actively tracking down the suspect.
Malay Mail
17-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘Withdrawal fee' trap: Two Penang retirees lose RM1.15m in Facebook, Instagram scam ads
GEORGE TOWN, June 17 — Two retirees lost over RM1 million after falling victim to online investment scams recently, according to Penang police. Penang police chief Datuk Hamzah Ahmad said in a statement that in the first case, the Seberang Perai Tengah District Police Headquarters received a report from a 55-year-old man on June 12, alleging that he had been scammed by an online investment company for RM827,120. 'In early April, the victim came across an investment advertisement on Facebook promising high returns and subsequently got in touch with a WhatsApp. 'The victim was promised a seven per cent return on each investment made,' he said, adding that the man was told to download the company's app to register as a member and invest through the platform. Hamzah said the victim made 22 fund transfers into six different company accounts between April 19 and May 26. 'He realised he had been scammed after being unable to withdraw profits totalling RM23,241,952 as shown on the investment app and subsequently lodged a police report,' he said. In a separate case, he stated that a 56-year-old retired factory technician lost RM321,250 after falling victim to another online investment scam, adding that the victim lodged a police report on June 12 at the Seberang Perai Utara District Police Headquarters. Hamzah stated that around December of last year, the victim came across an investment advertisement on Instagram that promised high returns. He then contacted a female suspect via WhatsApp, who promised a 30 per cent return within three months. He said that on March 21, the victim made the first fund transfer of RM20,000 through the company's app, and within less than three months, he received RM14,150 in profits. 'He made 11 additional fund transfers between March 27 and June 3 into four different company accounts linked to the scheme, but realised he had been scammed after he could not withdraw RM280,000 in purported profits and was instead asked by the suspect to pay an RM120,000 withdrawal fee,' he added. He said investigations are ongoing, and both cases are classified under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. — Bernama
Malay Mail
11-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Penang ferry terminal to get seaview deck, commercial spaces in revitalisation effort
GEORGE TOWN, June 11 — The Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda (PRTU) ferry terminal on Penang island will undergo an upgrade to include a seaview observatory deck, commercial spaces, and open car parks, the Penang Port Commission (PPC) announced today. PPC chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin said the revitalisation aims to modernise the terminal with an attractive design to improve visitor comfort and satisfaction. 'This will boost operational productivity,' Yeoh said in a statement. He added that the commercial spaces will feature a food and beverage hub and a garden bridge, alongside other attractions to draw more tourists. The PRTU upgrade is part of broader efforts to improve ferry operations, Yeoh noted. In addition, he said the extension of the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal (SPCT) now enables Oasis-class cruise ships to dock simultaneously, accommodating up to 12,000 passengers at a time. 'SPCT has been developed as a regional cruise ship hub, and projects around the terminal are being prioritised to complement these upgrades and attract more cruise ships to Penang,' he said. Yeoh also announced plans to collaborate with Printhero to establish a ferry museum showcasing Penang's iconic ferries, which once served as a crucial transportation link between Seberang Perai and the island. 'The conservation project aims to preserve the state's maritime heritage while offering visitors a chance to explore the history of water transportation in Malaysia. The old ferry, which carries countless memories, will be revived as a historical tourism attraction,' he said. Yesterday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook visited the PPC and reviewed key projects, including the North Butterworth Container Terminal Expansion Master Plan. According to Yeoh, the expansion involves reclamation work over 322.83 hectares and includes plans for a major petroleum hub in the northern region called the Northern Petroleum Terminal (NPT). 'The NPT will be a bulk petroleum storage facility designed to accommodate Medium Range (MR) class tankers,' he said.
Free Malaysia Today
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Penang councils call for action after bribery, extortion claims in videos
Several video clips on social media have made allegations against city council staff of bribery, abuse of power, extortion and physical threats. PETALING JAYA : The two city councils in Penang have called for action over viral video clips alleging bribery and abuse of power by council staff in dealings with business operators. The Penang island city council called for an investigation into two viral videos alleging bribery for allowing foreign nationals to operate businesses, Bernama reported. The videos, circulated on TikTok, also allege that council enforcement officers applied double standards in their operations. Separately, the Seberang Perai city council said that it has launched an internal investigation into another viral video in which a man alleges that council officers abused their powers at his friend's business premises. The viral video, which runs for two minutes, includes claims of extortion, threats against customers, wrongful detention of foreigners, and even an incident in which a local man was allegedly slapped after being mistaken for a foreign national. The Penang island city council said two videos circulated on TikTok contained 'numerous false and biased claims which amount to slander and misrepresentation of the council'. It called for an investigation by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. The council said city councillors Tan Soo Siang, R Harikrishnan, Muhammad Khairul Mohd Ali, and Abdul Razak Rahman had also lodged police reports against the person who posted the videos. The Seberang Perai council said an internal investigation has been launched and a meeting held with the business owner involved to gather detailed information about the incident. The council urged the business owner to lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission if there was genuine evidence of corruption involving council staff.
