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Sinar Daily
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sinar Daily
More than a haircut: Meet the Rembau barber who sings P. Ramlee songs flawlessly
You might assume the singer is Malay, but in Rembau, that voice belongs to Ng Kim Soy, an 81-year-old Chinese barber who not only sings but has also memorised almost all of the legendary artiste's songs. Even at 81, Ng Kim Soy still skillfully cuts hair for his customers, fulfilling special requests at his "P. Ramlee Barbershop" in Rembau. REMBAU – Close your eyes and listen to the familiar strains of a Tan Sri P. Ramlee classic sung with perfect pronunciation. You might assume the singer is Malay, but in Rembau, that voice belongs to Ng Kim Soy, an 81-year-old Chinese barber who not only sings but has also memorised almost all of the legendary artiste's songs. Ng Kim Soy reminisces, holding a photo of himself singing at an event during his younger days, a testament to his lifelong passion for music. In fact, his barbershop on Jalan Dato Undang in the town of Rembau has been nicknamed the "P. Ramlee Barbershop" by locals due to his deep admiration for the legend, who passed away 52 years ago. At times, he even entertains customers with renditions of P. Ramlee songs while they get their haircut, especially "Jangan Tinggal Daku" and "Bunyi Gitar." 'As far as I remember, I developed an interest in P. Ramlee's songs when I was 16, because I would often hear them played at wedding feasts in the village and I lived among the Malay community. Ng Kim Soy reminisces, holding a photo of himself singing at an event during his younger days, a testament to his lifelong passion for music. 'Eventually, the songs stuck in my head and I have managed to memorise 20 of them to this day," he told Sinar. According to the father of three, it wasn't difficult to remember the lyrics because the melodies were pleasant and easy on the ears. Kim Soy said that unlike many songs today, which tend to have high notes and are harder to follow, P. Ramlee's music was more accessible. 'In the past, we needed vinyl records to listen to songs, but now it's easy; everything is on the internet,' he said. Recalling fond memories, he said he once received an invitation to sing in front of the 10th Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, the late Tuanku Ja'afar ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman, at an event. Kim Soy said that moment was the greatest honour of his life and one he would always cherish. 'To me, P. Ramlee's songs are simple, but his silky smooth voice and vocal nuance were priceless. You can't find that in any singer today. Apart from his songs, I also enjoy watching all of his films,' he said. Even at 81, Ng Kim Soy still skillfully cuts hair for his customers, fulfilling special requests at his "P. Ramlee Barbershop" in Rembau. He shared that he is frequently asked by friends to sing at wedding receptions. 'Many people think I'm Malay when they hear me sing. I often joke that I'm Malay, just not Muslim,' he said. When asked about his profession as a barber, Kim Soy said he began cutting hair at the age of 17, a trade that is now carried on by his three sons. However, he stated that most of the work is now handled by his children, except when there are special requests from customers. 'My eldest son, now 40, has taken over the Rembau shop. My second son, who is 39, runs his own shop in Senawang, while the youngest is in Sarawak. "Among my three sons, only the second one shares my love for P. Ramlee's songs,' said Kim Soy, who opens his shop daily from 10am to 6pm.
Sinar Daily
4 days ago
- Business
- Sinar Daily
Strait of Hormuz closure threatens Malaysia's food supply, economist forecasts price hikes
SHAH ALAM – A sharp increase in the prices of imported food is expected to be among the most significant direct consequences Malaysia may face if a full-scale war erupts following the United States' involvement in the Iran-Israel conflict. Malaysia University of Science and Technology (Must) economist, Professor Emeritus Dr Barjoyai Bardai, stated that the conflict, which has entered a new phase, could lead to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical trade route for the country. According to him, imported foods such as fruits and vegetables are among the goods likely to experience a significant price surge if tensions in the region worsen. 'Malaysia, as an open economy that imports more than RM90 billion worth of food, will certainly be affected by this conflict. "It can be said that the food sector will be one of the hardest hit," he said. He stated that the upcoming expansion of the Sales and Service Tax (SST) on July 1, which includes imported fruits and vegetables, could worsen the impact. 'So, the impact will be even greater. Prices of imported goods will rise, then domestic taxes in Malaysia will also increase and inevitably this situation will have a major impact on food items. 'Given the increasingly volatile developments, we can expect the prices of imported food-based items such as vegetables and fruits to go up. "We also anticipate a knock-on effect on cooked food, and prices at restaurants are also expected to rise,' he told Sinar. Dr Barjoyai added that all parties must prepare to face widespread impacts due to the conflict, as it would affect not only imported goods but also locally produced products.
Sinar Daily
18-06-2025
- Business
- Sinar Daily
SST is good but needs improvement, experts say
SHAH ALAM - Economic experts believe that the Sales and Services Tax (SST) is still considered the best system for implementing targeted taxation in the country, given the suitability of the local economic landscape. Malaysian Tax Accountants Association (Mata) deputy president Dr Mohd Fairuz A Razak however said that the government still needed to make several improvements to make it more effective compared to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) that was previously introduced in the country. He said that the improvements should include exempting taxes specifically on all food items, vegetables and fruits comprehensively so that these related items truly meet the targeted needs. 'SST is indeed more people-friendly at this time because its tax rate is not imposed uniformly compared to GST. 'However, essential goods, including imported food products, should not be taxed since they are important elements in the lives of the people, even though some of them may be considered luxury items enjoyed by the affluent. 'My question is, how will the government ensure the separation of luxury items such as vegetables, fruits and livestock products can be enforced comprehensively without burdening distributors and retailers? 'Most importantly, are all food items, vegetables and imported fruits only enjoyed by high-income groups? What about onions, salt, mangoes and bananas that are also daily foods for the B40 group?' he said when contacted by Sinar on Tuesday. Certain fruits considered 'luxury item' like avocados, are now also enjoyed by people from various groups, including those with low incomes. Previously, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasised that the government was not ready to reintroduce GST at the time because the economy of the people has not yet fully recovered. Anwar said that the government chose to continue with the more targeted SST system because it only imposed taxes on certain goods, particularly luxury imported items. Therefore, Fairuz said that all essential goods, including those imported from abroad, should also be exempted from SST tax. 'The country indeed imports a lot of essential food from other countries. So, one way is for the government to exempt food to ensure it is more targeted. 'If not, it will become a major issue and backfire on the government again because essential food is a necessity for living, not merely something fancy enjoyed by certain groups,' he said. Fairuz emphasised that the implementation of targeted SST could only be achieved if the government conducts a thorough review of the list of goods that would be taxed. He said certain fruits considered 'luxury item' like avocados, were now also enjoyed by people from various groups, including those with low incomes (B40). He also advised the government not to rush into expanding SST because many among the people and traders were still confused about the actual number of items subject to tax. Meanwhile, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said that the implementation of frequently changing tax policies in the near term would only burden the people and traders. However, he believed that SST could be considered a more suitable tax system to implement in the country's economic landscape if it remained consistent. 'So, the issue is more about the method of implementation and enforcement of the policy more consistently to ensure that the SST system is more effective in its implementation,' he said. He explained that the current implementation of SST showed positive results in line with the government's need to increase national revenue in a targeted manner. 'This means that the existing system must meet the targets or objectives of the government to improve their financial position by reducing the fiscal deficit and making the Federal Government's debt more stable,' he said.
Sinar Daily
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Sinar Daily
Nik Nazmi must stay true to his principles
The position of minister was not a mandate from the people, but rather an appointment by the Prime Minister due to one's standing in the party. Nik Nazmi SHAH ALAM – Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad must remain steadfast in his principle to resign after losing in all contests at the branch and central levels of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), in line with the reformist ideals he upholds. Former PKR Information Coordination Secretary, Iswardy Morni, said that the position of minister was not a mandate from the people, but rather an appointment by the Prime Minister due to Nik Nazmi's standing in the party. He said the same situation has occurred involving leaders from other parties. "The people's mandate refers to his position as a Member of Parliament. "What would be inappropriate is if he resigns as an MP. That would not be right," he told Sinar on Tuesday. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when asked on Monday about Nik Nazmi's status in the Cabinet, said that the leave period for the former PKR vice president would end this week. However, he explained that no final decision had been made yet, and the government was still giving Nik Nazmi space to resume his duties. Iswardy added that he believed the decision made by Nik Nazmi was due to his awareness that party members had rejected him as a party leader. 'As such, the new leadership deserves to be given higher positions. '(Datuk Seri R) Ramanan, as the new PKR vice president, should be promoted to minister to replace Nik Nazmi and (Datuk Seri) Amirudin Shari should be appointed as Economy Minister due to his experience governing Selangor,' he said. He also opined that the Prime Minister's daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar should be appointed as Selangor Menteri Besar after winning the post of deputy president. 'A by-election should be held, just like what happened during the Kajang Move,' he said. More Like This
Sinar Daily
18-06-2025
- Business
- Sinar Daily
Handle SST expansion impact wisely
"With GST, we clearly knew which items were taxable while SST is less clear and could lead to price uncertainty." Ameer Ali. SHAH ALAM – The expansion of the Sales and Services Tax (SST) scope by the government, set to take effect on July 1, is expected to impact several service sectors, including logistics and transportation. Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd managing director, Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin, said the move requires careful consideration to minimise the ripple effect on the prices of goods, especially daily necessities such as food and imported items. He said increases in transport-related costs, such as charges at Port Klang, could potentially affect overall logistics costs, which in turn may influence retail prices. 'For example, container charges that were previously around RM300 could rise to RM400. 'This increase will affect rent, logistics and eventually prices for consumers,' he told Sinar on Tuesday. He added that in the context of tax systems, SST could sometimes cause confusion in terms of implementation and compliance, compared to the previously introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST) system. 'With GST, we clearly knew which items were taxable. SST is less clearand this could lead to price uncertainty,' he said. However, he stressed that any move towards a change in the taxation system, such as reintroducing GST, should be done gradually and comprehensively. 'If the government intends to reintroduce GST, the approach must be well-planned and accompanied by suitable assistance mechanisms for low-income groups. 'This step is crucial to ensure the people are not burdened,' he said. He also emphasised the importance of coordination between various economic policies to avoid compounded pressure on the public. 'Each policy must be evaluated based on its overall impact so that the public does not suffer consequences from decisions made in isolation,' he said. More Like This
