Author: malaysiang

KUALA LUMPUR, Art enthusiasts can now explore the visual diary of Ono Kang, an installation artist and sculptor from Penang, as his solo exhibition titled “Forged by Time: Ono Kang’s Visual Diary” opened today.

The exhibition, focuses on Ono’s captivating installations crafted from scrap metal, recycled items, and found objects.

Organised by ArtisFair, founded by Datuk Seri Bernard Chandran, the exhibition takes place at Level 3 Fahrenheit88 in Bukit Bintang here and is open to the public until May 25. The exhibition is open daily from 11 am till 9 pm except on Monday.

Born and bred by the jetties of Georgetown where his family worked as junk ship sailors and traders in the charcoal industry, the native Penangite’s artistic journey reflects a profound connection to his roots and heritage steeped in the maritime tradition of his family.

His family was his biggest influence and he wanted to inherit his grandfather’s junk ship when he grew up to sail with them around the region, importing and trading charco
al. However, that ambition was never meant to be.

‘I cannot read and write because I’m dyslexic. I try to create all these objects (art pieces) as though they’re my diary, there is a story and I try to express myself there,’ he told Bernama today.

Being a tattoo artist who has worked with metal as an art form for 20 years, Ono finds it both challenging and beautiful, and sees the opportunity to repurpose metals into new art pieces.

As his collection grew, Ono started to build sculptures and installations out of them – almost like building a diary out of his memory treasure.

One of Ono’s wishes is always to be able to write, to be able to put to paper how he feels and thoughts he would like to express.

Under the auspices of Lumina, an art residency programme facilitated by ArtisFair since 2023, Ono, a self-taught artist, has worked closely with Bernard Chandran to transform his raw artistic expression into a more refined vision aimed at unravelling the story of his past.

The exhibition showcases 16 piece
s of his installations, each rich in meaning and symbolism, inviting viewers to delve into Ono’s tribute to his home, family, heritage and four decades of his life.

MANILA: The local stock market continued to rebound on Wednesday, closing near the 6,600 level, while the peso moved sideways.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 65.95 points, closing at 6,572.75, while the broader All Shares also rose 16.56 points to 3,463.46.

“Philippine shares continued to rebound finishing 1.01% higher, nearing the 6,600 level as investors applauded the ‘so far, so good’ earnings results of U.S.-listed companies,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Managing Director Luis Limlingan said.

“Across the region, investors breathed a collective sigh of relief following Iran’s statement that it will not further escalate its conflict with Israel,” he added.

Almost all counters closed in the green led by Industrial and Holding Firms.

Financials, however, slightly declined by 1.88 points.

Advancers led decliners at 111 to 99, leaving 52 counters unchanged.

The peso, meanwhile, moved sideways, closing at 57.55 to a dollar from Tuesday’s 57.51 finish.

It opened the day at 57.4 and
traded between 57.31 and 57.57.

The weighted average for the day was at 57.409.

Trade volume went up to USD1.37 billion from USD1.17 billion on Tuesday.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MELAKA, Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) has introduced a mini ulul albab programme in 49 MARA Junior Science Colleges (MRSM) nationwide starting this year, said MARA chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

He said students under the programme are encouraged to memorise at least four juzuk (parts) of the Quran throughout their study period.

‘Students are advised to memorise…juzuk one, juzuk two, juzuk three and juzuk thirty, throughout their study at MRSM,’ he told reporters after opening LOCCA Café here today.

State Housing, Local Government, Irrigation, Climate Change and Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Rais Yasin and State Entrepreneur, Cooperative Development and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Allex Seah Choo Chin were also present.

LOCCA Café is a brand name under the MARA Bumiputera Restaurant Chain Development programme initiated last year to create a network of Bumiputera restaurant entrepreneurs.

Asyraf Wajdi also said that MARA had allocated RM20 million for training programmes, bu
siness premise maintenance, and financing accessible to new and existing entrepreneurs in Melaka.

In another development, the UMNO secretary-general denied allegations of a rift between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) made by Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, adding that it is common to have differences in opinions within any coalition but it does not reflect the actual situation.

‘When BN had 14 component parties, we also had differences in views…the good thing within the context of the Unity Government, these are handled wisely and discussed openly in meetings,’ he said.

MANILA: An Australian-American national wanted by authorities in the United States for various sex offenses was intercepted and barred from entering the country, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Wednesday.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said 54-year-old Robert David Fenton boarded a flight to Los Angeles on Tuesday after being denied entry at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 in Pasay City.

The foreigner arrived from Brisbane, Australia but was excluded after his name prompted a positive hit in the International Criminal Police Organization’s (Interpol) derogatory system, which indicated that he is subject of a red notice who is wanted for sex crimes in the US.

He said the foreign national has been in the immigration blacklist for being an undesirable alien.

BI-Interpol unit acting chief Jaime Bustamante, meanwhile, said Fenton is wanted in the US for charges of aggravated indecent assault against a victim who is below 16 years of age.

He was also charge
d for corruption of minors and indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and statutory sexual assault against a person less than 16 years of age.

The BI coordinates with international counterparts to thwart the entry of foreign sex offenders, as part of its #Shieldkids campaign.

‘We are determined to ban the entry of these unwanted aliens as their presence here poses a serious risk to our women and children,’ Tansingco added.

Source: Philippines News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, The Federation of Malaysian Film Associations (GAFEMA) welcomes the sponsorship of the Self-Employed Social Security Scheme (SKSPS) by the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) through the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS), benefiting 4,500 artistes.

Its president, Panchacharam Nalliah @ Pansha said there would be various benefits from this sponsorship, including medical benefits, temporary disability, permanent disability, constant care allowance, dependents’ benefits, funeral management, rehabilitation and educational loans.

“GAFEMA welcomes the initiative by the Ministry of Communications through FINAS and the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) through Perkeso, which has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide a social safety net for local artistes as a start,’ he said in a statement today.

Yesterday, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced that FINAS would sponsor 4,500 local artistes under this scheme, with a contribution of RM23.30 per perso
n, amounting to a total sponsorship value of RM104,850.

According to Fahmi, this initiative stems from an MoU signed between the Ministry of Communications through FINAS and KESUMA through Perkeso. It covers 10 percent of the annual SKSPS contribution of RM232.80 required for each participant in the social security scheme.

Meanwhile, GAFEMA suggested that the Ministry of Communications conduct a detailed briefing about the proposed social safety net for local artistes to ensure it does not deviate from the original intent, as was previously proposed to FINAS.

” Perkeso contributions as a mandatory requirement through the approval of the Film Certification Certificate (SPP) only involves artistes participating in film production.

“However, there are other categories that need protection, and the industry also requires a centralised industry database as a reference point for FINAS, producers, and artistes to check the annual expiry date of Perkeso contributions in the future,” Pansha said.

MANILA: The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) on Wednesday sought an increase in government spending towards developing the country’s internet infrastructure.

In a statement, PSAC called for an increase in the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) infrastructure budget to PHP240 billion — currently at PHP7.6 billion for six years, from 2018 to 2024.

‘This is dwarfed by private sector spending. Globe [Telecom Inc.] alone has invested PHP265 billion in capital expenditure and PHP236 billion in operational expenses in the past three years to enhance its network capabilities to improve the country’s digital infrastructure,’ it said.

The increase in infrastructure budget, it said, would help realize the government’s connectivity goals of having cheaper internet services and increasing the internet penetration rate in the country to 65 percent from the current 33 percent.

It also sought a commercial partnership between the government and the private sector to build 35,000 new ce
ll sites and to ensure the ‘full and consistent implementation’ of Executive Order No. 32 which aims to streamline and expedite the permitting process for telecommunications (telecom) infrastructure.

The group requested an annual allocation of PHP60 billion for the DICT to lease towers, build last-mile facilities, and optimize existing telecommunications infrastructure.

It suggested these actions go hand-in-hand with collaboration between the government and the private sector.

‘These are essential steps toward achieving comprehensive national coverage by 2028,’ it said.

If approved, it said these actions will help transform the Philippines into a leading digital economy in Southeast Asia.

‘We advocate for a Presidential directive to ensure that all relevant agencies are fully aligned in executing all training and job promotion activities to achieve this ambitious job creation target,’ it said.

These were discussed during a meeting between PSAC members and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Malacanang
on April 19.

The PSAC was led in the meeting by lead convenor and Aboitiz Group president and CEO Sabin Aboitiz, with PSAC digital infrastructure sector leader and UnionDigital Bank president and CEO Henry Aguda, Globe president and CEO Ernest Cu, and former president and CEO of PLDT-Smart Al Panlilio.

Source: Philippines News Agency

KOTA BHARU, The Kelantan government will, through the State Sports Council (SSC) present welfare aid of RM2,000 to the state’s judo exponents Nur Qistana Auni Mohd Azinor and her sister Nur Qistina Awliya.

State Youth, Sports, Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) and Community Unity Committee chairman Zamakhshari Muhamad said the welfare aid is given following the death of the exponents’ mother, Petty Officer Nor Rahiza Anuar, who was among those who perished in the crash of two Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) helicopters at its Lumut base in Perak yesterday.

“We are in the process of contacting the family of these two exponents and will present the aid as soon as possible… either by me or a representative from the SSC.

“We wish to convey our condolences to the two of the exponents, who were supposed to arrive in Kelantan to under training this week in preparation for the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) in Sarawak,’ he told Bernama at the Kelantan SSC Office here today.

Zamakhshari said that the Kelantan SSC had set
up the judo training centre in 2022 with the cooperation of the Lumut TLDM and most of the exponents registered under the centre are children of military personnel, with Qistina Awliya and Nur Qistana Auni selected to represent Kelantan at the Sarawak SUKMA this year.

In the 9.32 am incident yesterday, 10 TLDM personnel were killed when two TLDM helicopters crashed in Lumut while conducting a third rehearsal for a flypast in conjunction with the TLDM Fleet Open Day, scheduled to be held this Saturday.