Day: January 12, 2023

IPOH, Jan 12 (Bernama) — The Lost World of Tambun (LWOT) theme park is targeting 10,000 visitors daily during the Chinese New Year celebrations, including visitors from abroad, to experience the uniqueness of Rabbit Wonderland, a new attraction introduced in conjunction with the arrival of the year of the rabbit.

LWOT general manager, Nurul Nuzairi Mohd Azahari, said that LWOT is the right vacation choice, considering that Malaysians are currently seen preferring to have holidays all over the country in a recovering economy.

“At Rabbit Wonderland, we have 500 rabbits, consisting of 14 species, including Teddy, Lionhead and Holland Hop. However, only 250 will be in Rabbit Wonderland at any one time.

“Visitors can play with animals including petting some of them. We hope that with the existence of this Rabbit Wonderland, visitors from various backgrounds can enjoy the experience,” he said at a press conference at LWOT today.

Nurul Nuzairi said various activities have been lined up in conjunction with the festival, including the eagerly awaited lion dance acrobatics.

“In conjunction with this Chinese New Year celebration, the lion dance will be the main attraction on Jan 22 and 23, while the performances and activities of Hopping New Year, Chinese Culture Meet and Greet, Spring’s Day, and Muhibbah Dance will take place from Jan 20 until Feb 5,” he added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

ALOR SETAR, Jan 12 (Bernama) — The government is sticking to its stance not to float the price of eggs and to keep it below the price control, said Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Fuziah Salleh.

She said although there were requests from certain quarters, the government preferred to control the price of eggs for the time being.

“This issue involves the supply (of eggs) and price control. In terms of the supply, we are in the final phase of stabilising it.

“As for the price control, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim himself has expressed intention to control the price of eggs, but it will only last until our economy recovers and consumers have purchasing power.

“So far, we are still sticking to the stance of maintaining what we have now,” she told reporters after launching the Ministry’s Aduan Suri dan Peremajaan Semula Saluran Aduan Kepenggunaan initiative in conjunction with the Jualan Rahmah Carnival, here today.

Meanwhile, when asked about allegations that some egg retailers were imposing additional charges for transportation and handling costs that burdened consumers, Fuziah said the ministry was investigating the matter.

She said in this issue the government cannot blame the retailers because the egg supply was not bought at wholesale prices.

“We cannot place the blame entirely on the retailers. We will cooperate with several ministries to investigate the matter,” she said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 (Bernama) — OKU Sentral president Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi has called on all parties to work together and strengthen efforts to empower Persons with Disabilities (PwD) in the country.

She said local authorities, government agencies and the private sector should play their respective roles at the optimum level to help the PwD in all aspects.

”It not only involves empowering the development of disabled-friendly facilities but more importantly having more development and education centres for this group.

”These two things are important because disabled individuals often have skills that are extraordinary, so our job is to pave the way or be a facilitator for them to realise their potential,” she told Bernama today.

Ras Adiba said this after opening an art exhibition featuring paintings created by autistic artists themed ‘Prosperity Rabbit’ at a shopping mall in Subang Jaya.

She said the exhibition was a good platform to allow the public to appreciate the talents and skills of the disabled.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SHAH ALAM, Jan 12 (Bernama) — Selangor, through Yayasan Warisan Anak Selangor (Yawas), today inaugurated the Preschool Centre for Special Needs Children (Anis) to provide children with special needs with educational opportunities and facilities that support their development.

Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the centre is open to all Selangor-born special needs children aged five to six years, who fall under the category of learning disabilities, including those with Global Developmental Delay (GDD), Down Syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) without any fee.

He said a total of RM1.9 million was allocated by the Shah Alam City Council as a partner to upgrade a public hall into a preschool centre while Yawas spent RM300,000 on learning aids and equipment.

Amirudin further explained that the centre which has been in operation since Nov 22, 2022, is seen as a benchmark for kindergarten operators in Selangor on how to provide educational facilities for children with special needs.

“Perhaps after this, we can see collaboration (with local authorities) in other places to create more (Anis Preschool Centres) so that parents can send their special needs children for affordable early education.

“So if parents enrol their children here, they will at least learn basic skills (like for normal children) at the preschool level,” he said after launching the Anis Preschool Centre in Section 7, here today.

Also present were Selangor Public Health, Unity, Women and Family Development Committee chairman Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud and Shah Alam Mayor Dr Nor Fuad Abdul Hamid.

Amirudin said the state government has so far received almost 100 applications to establish Anis Preschool Centres and 35 of them will be implemented soon.

Meanwhile, Dr Siti Mariah said that at the centre parents will also be given exposure and useful knowledge on managing children with special needs.

“For example, toilet training (for children with special needs). We may consider all these basic things normal but these children need special training. Training is done here on a one-to-one basis by certified teachers, together with parents, once a week for two hours per session to overcome the challenge,” she said.

She also said that the establishment of more Anis Preschool Centres will be expanded to rural areas after this, including in Rawang, Kuala Selangor and Kuala Langat.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SHAH ALAM, Jan 12 (Bernama) — Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin has directed authorities, especially the municipal councils, to improve and upgrade management procedures at dog and cat shelters under their jurisdiction.

Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin who is also the Royal Patron of the Stray Free Selangor (SFS) campaign run by the Society For The Prevention of Cruelty Animals (SPCA) said that the authorities need to review and adopt a more holistic approach to managing these animal shelters.

Her Majesty expressed sadness and disappointment following the viral pictures and videos of abandoned dogs being neglected at a dog shelter in Selangor and ordered that the daily standard operating procedures (SOP) being used at the shelter be reviewed.

“This is because if the current SOP is proven to be effective, there should not be a video showing the dogs as if they were mistreated, neglected and unmanaged,” said Her Majesty through a post on the Selangor Royal Office’s Facebook account, today.

The Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor also suggested that efforts towards preserving the welfare and reducing the number of abandoned animals be intensified, through the ‘Create Caring and Compassionate Communities’ (CCC) campaign.

“Among the steps outlined in the campaign is to re-empower collaboration and cooperation between the municipal council and the residents of the housing areas involved.

“The municipal council in collaboration with the SPCA should conduct responsible pet ownership (RPO) sessions with the residents and prepare a schedule of periodic visits by the SPCA and NGOs to the animal shelters,” said her Majesty.

Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor also recommended animal welfare officers together with animal lovers in each district zone be further trained to encourage the spaying (neutering) of abandoned animals under the SFS campaign.

Her Majesty also suggested that the relevant authorities seek advisory and monitoring services from the SPCA and NGOs if there was a need to dispose of abandoned animals for health reasons or the like.

Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin hoped efforts to take care of the welfare of these abandoned animals will continue and not just be half-baked efforts.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency