Day: June 25, 2021

— Former Selising assemblyman Zulkifli Ali’s attempt to plant 10 Ajwa date trees four years ago, pays off when one of the trees started to bear fruits this year.

Interestingly, the tree is fruiting at the same time as the date trees in Medina, Saudi Arabia, now.

Speaking to Bernama, Zulkifli, 54, said he bought the seedlings from Rantau Panjang before they were planted as decorative trees at his house’s yard.

“In the first and second year, there were trees that produced fruits but all of them dropped off. This year the produce is better when eight bunches on one of the trees started fruiting and is almost ready for harvest,” he said when met at his house at Kampung Alor Hijau, today.

A Bernama check found the tree is producing a lot of fruits which attracted surrounding residents.

Based on his experience, Zulkifli is of the view that date trees can be commercialised in the country if given thorough care and sufficient fertiliser.

“The hot sunny weather is very conducive for stimulating the fruiting process and maintaining its original crisp and sweet quality.

“The date yield this year also refuted claims that date trees are not suitable to be planted in the country,” he said, adding that he is planning to donate the fruits to residents nearby while keeping some as seedlings for more date trees.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

— The government is always considering all proposals and solutions submitted to ease the burden of the people, especially during the National Recovery Plan, said Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz today.

In a posting on his Facebook page, Tengku Zafrul said one of the requests that the Finance Ministry often received was for the extension of the i-Sinar and i-Lestari programmes.

“The government understands and sympathises with the difficulties faced by the people, in fact I personally have acquaintances and relatives who apply for i-Lestari and i-Sinar in their current challenges,” he said.

At the same time, Tengku Zafrul said there were also contributors and economic commentators who criticised the government because they did not want the people’s dividends and old-age savings to be jeopardised as a result of the government allowing large-scale withdrawals from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

“What I am trying to convey here is that there are various voices supporting and opposing. We will try to find a solution that can meet the needs of all parties,” he said.

Tengku Zafrul added that the Finance Ministry and the EPF always listen to the people’s expressions and complaints, “and your session with the Zoom Session with some influencers among the people held recently was part of our efforts to get feedback to formulate policies and initiatives that meet the needs and the will of the people”.

“Just yesterday, I met with EPF chief executive officer Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah and EPF senior management to refine the appropriate assistance for the National Recovery Plan,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

Four localities in Sabah and two areas in Kuala Lumpur will be placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO), said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said the EMCO in Sabah would be implemented in Kampung Pukat Tanjung Batu Laut and Kampung Baru Pasir Putih in Tawau, as well as Lorong 12, 15 and 16, Taman Fajar and Taman Murni People’s Housing Project, in Sandakan, effective June 27 to July 10.

Ismail Sabri said the EMCO in Kuala Lumpur which would begin tomorrow till July 9, involved Kampung Segambut Dalam, Segambut and Jalan Kubur, Pantai Dalam.

“The implementation of the EMCO is to facilitate the targeted screening on the population and to curb the spread of COVID-19 to other areas,” he said in a statement on the Movement Control Order (MCO) and EMCO today.

Ismail Sabri said the decision was taken after a risk assessment was carried out with various agencies under the MCO Technical Committee and on the advice of the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Ismail Sabri said the EMCO in Mukim Bukit Besar and Mukim Serada, Kuala Terengganu in Terengganu; Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok (Kedah); Taman Villa Felca Nambazan, Penampang and Kampung Kadazan, Tawau as well as Kampung Lobou 1 and Kampung Bukit Permai in Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) would end as scheduled tomorrow.

Three localities in Sabah, namely Kampung Skim Cocos, Kunak; Taman Puri Warisan, Kota Kinabalu; and Taman Telipok Jaya, Tuaran, will also have their EMCO lifted tomorrow, earlier than scheduled.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said two factories and 11 business premises were ordered to close during inspections by the MCO Compliance Operation Task Force yesterday.

On the violation of the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the MCO, he said 696 individuals were arrested yesterday, with 671 of them being compounded, while another 25 were remanded.

As for Op Benteng, Ismail Sabri said 25 illegal immigrants were detained and 14 land vehicles were seized yesterday.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

— There is no medical evidence to prove that people cannot consume durian after getting their COVID-19 vaccine, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali.

In fact, he said it has never been stated in medical books that people should not eat durian after getting a vaccine shot.

People should not eat too much sugary food and sweet drinks as they can bring negative effects on health, he told reporters after visiting a vaccination centre (PPV) at Dewan Merdeka Tapah here today.

He was commenting on a viral claim that a man who had just received his COVID-19 vaccine shot died after eating durian.

Dr Noor Azmi said it has been confirmed that the man’s death was due to heart attack and not because he had consumed durian after getting vaccinated.

“The viral claim on social media is not true at all. Do not spread any unverified information about the vaccination as it could create unnecessary fear among the public. Let the Health Ministry provide scientific explanations and data on this kind of issue,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Azmi urged those with mental health problems to get emotional support and counselling from the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) team that has been activated by the ministry at the state and district levels.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency