Schemes to ease future congestion causing traffic trouble in Penang
GEORGE TOWN: Traffic on Penang island is often monstrous, especially at peak hours, with narrow roads and many industrial areas.
With five major transportation projects taking off almost in tandem this year, the nightmare is going to get worse for Penangites – at least until the projects are completed.
The Bayan Lepas area – where most factories are, Air Itam – the most densely populated area on the island, and Jalan Utama – the main thoroughfare leading to the seaside areas of Tanjung Tokong, Tanjung Bungah and Telok Bahang, are especially notorious for their jams.
However, these are also the places where the projects, meant to ease the island’s perennial traffic woes, are being built.
The RM851mil Air Itam to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass project is almost 50% ready but is causing massive jams in the Bandar Baru Air Itam area.
The four other projects that are expected to clog up nearby roads are the land reclamation project of Silicon Island in Batu Maung, the RM1.5bil Penang International Airport expansion, the Federal Government-funded Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) – all in the Bayan Baru-Bayan Lepas area – as well as the RM245mil Penang Hill cable car project at Jalan Kebun Bunga.
For the next few years, motorists will have to bear with not just worse jams but also the inconvenience, noise, dust and vibrations.
The jams in Air Itam are already a major headache which Penangites have never experienced before.
“It can take me about 30 minutes to pass the traffic light junction at peak hours, when it should take just five minutes,” said hotel manager M. Muniandy, who lives in Air Itam.
“Two lanes at the junction were taken away to build the elevated road and now cars are lined up for between 2km and 3km just waiting for the light to turn green.
“I’ve never had such a bad time driving before.”
Muniandy was referring to the junction at Lebuhraya Thean Teik and Jalan Angsana, the main thoroughfare of Bandar Baru Air Itam.
Once it is completed, the Air Itam bypass will allow residents to have an uninterrupted hillside route all the way to the expressway near the Penang Bridge without having to cut through the city.
This will reduce the current 40-minute drive between Bandar Baru Air Itam and the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway to less than 10 minutes.
For now however, residents are dealing with intense bottlenecks and long queues at junctions.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenakshi Raman said that the traffic impact assessments of these mega projects were each created in “silos”.
“They are done piecemeal, in a disjointed manner. It is a town-planning nightmare.
“We face unprecedented traffic congestion because of the shortsighted planning for long-term projects, some of which we continually assert are unnecessary,” she said.
Other stakeholders argue that while these mega projects are good for Penang in the long run, state authorities need to plan them out more carefully.
GUH Holdings Bhd’s Datuk Seri Kenneth H’ng said that besides intolerable jams, the severe shortage of public parking space is another daily headache.
“A new factory in Bayan Lepas is under construction right next to ours and because of that, the local authority has removed the roadside parking lots.
“Employees now suffer from a severe lack of public parking. They end up being forced to park illegally where they are regularly fined,” lamented the chief executive officer of the electronics, properties and utilities group.
To help his employees, H’ng’s firm provides special allowances for them to park at a nearby shopping complex early in the morning and a shuttle bus to take them to and from the factory.
“Because one factory is being built, the shopping complex’s parking facility is under strain, our company must bear extra cost and our employees also have to come out with money for ehailing rides to get back to their cars if they miss the shuttle.
“Poor planning causes far-reaching inconveniences to many.
“We need the authorities to plan construction work with all due diligence because the jams and parking problems erode the quality of life in Penang,” H’ng said.
The state government, meanwhile, has appealed for public cooperation and patience while these projects are carried out.
“The government cannot do it alone. We need the people’s full cooperation,” said state infrastructure and transport committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari.
One short-term solution the authorities are hoping will help is to station traffic policemen at critical junctions affected by these projects during peak hours.
Zairil said each of those projects has a detailed traffic management plan to reduce the impact of construction work on motorists.
“Every project will have a traffic management plan, but there will still be inconveniences. So we must all be patient and plan our commutes because the public infrastructure being constructed will eventually solve the traffic problems.
“Whenever there is major construction anywhere in the world, there will be short-term traffic consequences,” he said.
He said a new committee on road congestion and safety has been formed by the federal Cabinet and its first meeting will be held early next month with Penang traffic being on the agenda.It will be chaired by the secretary-general of the Transport Ministry, he added.
The construction of Penang’s first light rail transit (LRT) project will begin by the fourth quarter of this year, says Anthony Loke.
The Transport Minister added that the Penang LRT Mutiara Line project has been officially taken over by the Federal Government and is estimated to take six years, with completion slated for by 2030.
“We hope that within six months, the negotiations with SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd can be concluded.
“Following that, we expect physical works can start at least by the fourth quarter this year,” he told reporters at the ministry’s office on Friday (March 29).
The contracts for the LRT project have been divided into three main components – Silicon Island to Komtar contract (Segment 1), Komtar to Penang Sentral contract (Segment 2) and turn-key systems and rolling stocks contract.
Loke said SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd has been offered the Segment 1 contract based on the Single Sourcing Request for Proposal mechanism.
Meanwhile, the other two remaining contracts will be offered on an open tender basis.
“The offer (to SRS Consortium) was made based on the request by Penang state government which had appointed SRS as the Project Delivery Partner of the Penang Transportation Master Plan, which comprises the Penang LRT Mutiara Line, through an open tender in August 2015.
“SRS has also studied the technical early designs while acquiring approvals for the Environmental Impact Assessment, Social Impact Assessment and conditional Skim Kereta Api,” he said, adding that the costs were also borne out by SRS.
Loke added that the Cabinet has agreed to appoint MRT Corp as the developer and asset owner of the new train line.
He said that the rolling stock operations depot and transit-oriented development projects will be conducted by MRT Corp together with the state government.
“The new strategy aims to generate extra non-fare revenue to be reinvested for train maintenance in the future,” he added.
Stretching about 29km, Penang LRT Mutiara Line, will be equipped with 20 stations which include two interchange stations in Komtar and Penang Sentral.
The construction of Mutiara Line, Penang’s first light rail transit (LRT) project, will be according to schedule despite a minor amendment to the original plan.
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Corp chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim said everything would be carried out on time, adding that there is no need for the resubmission of the environmental impact assessment (EIA).
“The slight amendment to the track is meant to accommodate the line extended to Penang Sentral on the mainland from Penang island via an elevated track above the sea.
“Once we have updated the data on the LRT alignment, we will need to engage all the relevant agencies through workshops.
“The amended alignment, once finalised, will then be provided as an addendum meant for the necessary approval.
“All these will be done in the next three months. The main component of the alignment is still intact,” he said after giving Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin a briefing on the RM10bil project during the North Zone Madani Rakyat programme at the Sungai Nibong Pesta site in Penang.
It was earlier reported that the Penang government had planned to hold a workshop with stakeholders to finalise the Penang LRT Mutiara Line project following minor amendments to the original plan.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow was quoted as saying that the workshop was expected to be held within a week or two so that further work involving the transformative infrastructure project could be carried out.
In the latest report released by MRT Corp, the alignment will begin from Penang Sentral on Penang mainland to the proposed first station on Penang island – Macallum.
From Macallum, it will pass through Komtar, Jalan Gurdwara, Solok Sungai Pinang, Sungai Pinang, Jelutong Timur, all the way to Silicon Island.
Two proposed stations – Bandar Sri Pinang and Sky Cab – along Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway, which were seen in the original plan, have since been taken out of the picture.
On March 29, Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that the Federal Government officially took over the Penang LRT Mutiara Line project from the state government, with MRT Corporation appointed as the developer and asset owner.
The procurement of the project is divided into three main components, which are civil construction works for Segment 1 which is the alignment of Silicon Island to Komtar; works for civil construction for Segment 2 which is the line from Komtar to Penang Sentral and a “turnkey contract” for system and carriage (coach) works.
Also present at the briefing were Batu Uban assemblyman A. Kumaresan and Kebun Bunga assemblyman Lee Boon Heng.
Station names are provisional and subject to confirmation.
Moving Towards a Modern Penang
The proposed BL LRT line will cover a distance of 29.9 km, forming the main North-South rail backbone on the island. As the first LRT system in Penang, the BL LRT line will provide direct airport transit from Penang International Airport to major destinations on the island. The line will begin at Komtar and ends at the upcoming Penang South Reclamation (PSR) Smart City.
29.9km in length;
27 stations;
First LRT line in Penang;
Passes through high-demand areas like Komtar, Macallum, Jelutong, LCC Terminal and Bayan Lepas FIZ.
THROUGH BL LRT, WE CAN:
Travel efficiently without getting into traffic congestion
Travel safely and be more cost effective
Increase productivity and personal time. Less time on the road means more time for family, work and leisure
Move towards greener Earth. Light rail consumes less energy per passenger than cars and thus, less carbon footprint
The mission will last 53 days. The first to visit the far side of the moon, in 2019, was Chang’e-4, which included a rover to explore the moon’s Von Karman crater. China remains the only nation to send a lander to the other half of the moon
China has made another historic stride in its deep space endeavors on Friday, as the Long March-5 Y8 carrier rocket blasted off at 5:27 pm from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in South China’s tropical island of Hainan, sending the Chang’e-6 lunar probe onto its odyssey in the world’s first ever attempt to bring back lunar samples from the far side of the Moon.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) confirmed the success of the launch after two pairs of solar panels of the spacecraft opened smoothly.
The round trip of Chang’e-6 to the moon and back will take about 53 days, more than double the duration of its predecessor Chang’e-5, which returned samples from the near side of the moon in some 23 days, media reported.
The longer duration also indicates more complex flight stages – researchers have designed 11 stages for Chang’e-6, including launch and orbit insertion, lunar transfer, among others, media reported on Friday.
The amount of Moon samples to be returned this time is also expected to be larger than the Chang’e-5 mission. It is expected to retrieve around 2,000 grams of lunar dust and rocks, an increase of some 270 grams than the last time.
The Chang’e-6 mission aims to break new ground in lunar retrograde orbit design and control, intelligent sampling on the moon’s far side, and ascent from the lunar surface, according to the CNSA. It will conduct an automated sample return from the moon’s far side, along with scientific exploration of the landing area and international collaboration, the agency added.
After flying into orbit, it will head toward the Moon. Upon reaching its vicinity, the probe will brake to enter lunar orbit, and then fly around the orbit, during which time the lander and ascender combination will land on the far side of the moon, a research fellow with CASC revealed on Friday.
After completing the sampling, the ascender carrying the collected lunar soil will take off from the far side of the Moon to rendezvous and dock with the orbiter-returner combination, transfer the lunar samples to the returner, and then head back to Earth. It will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere in a semi-ballistic skip manner and land in Siziwang Banner, North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Chang’e-6 will adopt the same sampling methods used by Chang’e-5, utilizing drilling and scooping to obtain samples from different layers and depths of the lunar surface, simultaneously conducting scientific exploration on the lunar far side.
The location of the drilling is targeted at the Aitken Basin in the lunar south pole, a crater formed some 4 billion years ago and believed to contain water ice.
The Aitken Basin is one of the three major lunar landforms, and is the oldest and deepest impact crater basin on the moon, with significant scientific research value.
“This is of great significance for humans to have a more comprehensive understanding of the Moon, deepen the study of lunar origin and evolution, planetary evolution, and the origin of the solar system,” said Hu Zhenyu, the chief engineer of the launch site engineering technology group for the mission.
To promote international cooperation, the Chang’e-6 mission will carry a number of international payloads to the Moon, including the European Space Agency’s lunar surface ion composition analyzer, France’s radon detection instrument, Italy’s laser corner reflector, and a CubeSat from Pakistan, the CNSA revealed to the Global Times.
The Chang’e-6 mission is part of the country’s Phase-4 lunar exploration program, which eyes landing taikonauts on the Moon before 2030.
China is also leading the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project together with Russia in the lunar south pole. The project will see a basic station built by 2035 and an expansion set for completion by 2045, with a moon-orbiting space station as the hub and facilities featuring complete functions.
So far, nearly 20 countries and organizations have joined the ILRS, including US Hawaii-based International Lunar Observatory Association, Swiss company Nano-SPACE for Cooperation, and France’s Thales Group.
The mission comes amid increasing efforts by various countries to enhance their lunar programs, driven by a heightened interest in the opportunities for accessing resources and advancing deep space exploration.
Following Russia, the US and China, India successfully landed its first spacecraft on the Moon last year. And in January this year, Japan became the fifth member to join the lunar landing club, but its lander soon faced power issues due to incorrect landing angle.
The US is also pursuing its own schemes to return astronauts to the Moon as soon as 2026 and build a scientific base camp. However, the program, called Artemis, has been facing a number of challenges that put the scheduled date in question.
The Long March-5 carrier rocket, with a total length of nearly 60 meters and a takeoff mass of about 869 tons, is a true “giant” in China’s rocket family.
It is equipped with four boosters and has a payload capacity of 25 tons to low Earth orbit and 14 tons to geostationary transfer orbit, making it the largest launch vehicle in active service in China.
Since the Chang’e-6 probe is 100 kilograms heavier than Chang’e-5, designers have managed to help the rocket to “lose weight” and thus increasing Long March-5’s lunar transfer orbit payload capacity by 100 kilograms to meet the requirements of its “passenger,” the CASC revealed.
Upon passing the interview and undergoing regular army training for nine months, he was briefly posted to the 2nd Royal Ranger Regiment before he set his mind to enrol in February as a candidate in the commando unit, which is known through its Malay acronym GGK.
He was then put through the GGK’s basic training, an exercise that determines whether a candidate qualifies to make it as an elite member of the special forces before he is assigned to undergo other specialised skills in weaponry, parajumping and close-quarters combat to become a full-fledged commando.
Recounting his experience during his 12-week training stint at the Sungai Udang Army Camp in Melaka, Chan said it was the toughest moments he had ever undergone in his life despite his love for the military.
Soon after the exercise began, his body was in immense pain and aching all over and then riddled with blisters, bruises and torn skin.
He said the most difficult task he faced was a 160km run with other recruits that left the soles of his feet inflamed and torn.
“In the jungle, we were to survive on very little food, and went hungry. When we ran out of supplies, we had to feed ourselves with whatever we could find in the forest such as monitor lizards and pythons.
“It was beyond what I had ever imagined.
“The training will break you both mentally and physically but that is what it takes to be an elite member of the special forces and to make us resilient.
“I almost lost my mind and had thoughts of giving up halfway through the training but the comradeship of my fellow recruits and the constant support of my trainers kept me going.
“The camaraderie was amazing. We were united as a unit and there was no differentiating anyone by race.
“We were like brothers who watched over each other’s backs and ensured we stayed sane. This was the greatest thing I will never forget,” he said.
On Sunday, Chan received his green beret, blue lanyard and a dagger, which qualified him as commando, from 21st GGK commander Mejar-Jen Adi Ridzwan Abdullah in a graduation ceremony at the Sungai Udang camp.
Chan said his parents who were present were pleased to see him in good health.
“I know they are proud of me although all they asked me was if I had eaten and in good health. Those words were enough to affirm their support.
“During the tough training, my thoughts were also on my parents who had raised me and I just did not want to let them down.
“That too kept me motivated,” he said.
When contacted, Mejar-Jen Adi Ridzwan said Chan is the first Malaysian Chinese in decades to pass out as a commando.
“He had applied to undergo the tough training moreover, and was not assigned to it. This is very admirable and he proved himself very well.
“The last time we had Malaysian Chinese commandos was almost 20 years ago. There were many of them in the 1970s and 1980s.
“Hence, we are seeing a revival of Malaysian Chinese returning to serve the army like how their predecessors did.
“We are happy to see this and we hope more non-Malays will join the armed forces,” he said.
China is No.1 in technological innovation for the first time
AS China takes a leading role in technological innovation around the world, its efforts to help Chinese enterprises protect their intellectual property rights overseas have increased, an official from the country’s top IP regulator said.
Shen Changyu, head of the China National Intellectual Property Administration, told a news conference on Wednesday that China had 24 “top 100 science and technology clusters” by the end of last year, ranking first in the world for the first time.
The ranking was issued by the World Intellectual Property Organization in its Global Innovation Index 2023.
According to the index, the top 100 science and technology clusters were concentrated in three regions last year – North America, Europe and Asia – and more specifically in two countries – China and the United States.
For the first time last year, China was the economy with the most clusters ranked among the top 100, overtaking the US’ 21 clusters, the same as in 2022, the index showed.
Shen said the achievement was due to the improvement in the quality and quantity of domestic innovation.
He said China authorised 921,000 invention patents last year, up 15.3% year-on-year.
Shen emphasised that IP rights are crucial for an enterprise’s international competitiveness, adding that the administration has taken effective measures to help domestic companies strengthen IP protection when going global.
For instance, the administration has set up a national response and guidance centre for overseas IP disputes with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and has also established stations in countries and regions with intensive trade exchanges to provide professional and efficient IP services for domestic enterprises, he said.
The centre and stations served 1,706 companies last year, helping them recover economic losses of 6.89 billion yuan (RM4.46bil), he said.
“We’ve also continued boosting the collection and supply of overseas IP information, and used online platforms to regularly release IP legal rules and risk warning messages of major nations and regions to help our companies learn about the IP situation in a timely manner,” Shen added.
He said the training of lawyers who can tackle foreign-related IP cases will be increased, and more centres and stations will be built.
China also intensified a crackdown on counterfeits and endeavoured to protect copyrights last year.
Kuang Xu, an official from the State Administration for Market Regulation, said on Wednesday that 44,100 administrative cases related to violations of trademarks and patents were resolved last year.
Among those cases, 1,376 suspected of IP crimes were handed over to judicial authorities, he added.
More than 6.4 million copyrighted works were registered last year, up 42.3% year-on-year, and 4,745 cases of piracy or copyright infringement were resolved, said Tang Zhaozhi, from the copyright management bureau at the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. — China Daily/ANN
The city to be in: Malaysia is a prime destination for employers looking for quality team members, and for many businesses to establish an Asian hub in Kuala Lumpur. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur made a significant leap to the 22nd position, a significant climb from its 84th place in the 2022 rankings, cementing its status as one of the premier global destinations for remote work.
This upward trajectory is mirrored by other Southeast Asian cities like Taipei, securing the 8th spot, and Bangkok, ranking 18th, according to Remote, a prominent global HR platform.
Published by Remote, the list of the top 100 global destinations for remote work showcases cities such as Madrid (Spain), Madeira (Portugal), Toronto (Canada), Auckland (New Zealand), and Tokyo (Japan) among the top 10 choices.
Factors such as quality of life, safety, internet infrastructure, cost of living, inflation, attractiveness, openness, and incentives for remote workers were meticulously considered in the analysis.
Utilising the latest data, the list aims to guide digital nomads and remote professionals in making informed decisions aligned with their personal preferences and career goals. Kuala Lumpur particularly stands out, ranking in the top five for its favourable remote work visa and incentive programs.
Remote underscores the increasing significance of selecting the right destination as remote work evolves into a lifestyle choice.
It highlighted Kuala Lumpur’s appeal as a magnet for remote workers, reflecting the proactive stance of the Malaysian government in positioning itself as a prime destination for digital nomads within the ASEAN region.
The allure of Kuala Lumpur lies in its blend of a relatively low cost of living, attractive incentives for digital nomads, and the availability of fast and reliable internet services. Nonetheless, factors such as quality of life and openness have also played a pivotal role in shaping its overall ranking, it said.
Job van der Voort, co-founder and chief executive officer of Remote, highlighted the transformative nature of remote work, enabling professionals to sustain careers in environments that inspire productivity and balance.
This year’s list reflects not only the best places for remote living and working but also the evolving needs of remote professionals in a post-pandemic world, he said.
Lives interrupted: Sharul’s daughter’s flight was among the flights cancelled. (Right) Miguel says suspended flights meant students couldn’t get back to their classes in Sarawak.
PETALING JAYA: From family members and students to a would-be bridegroom, the eruption of Mount Ruang volcano in Sulawesi, Indonesia, has caused widespread disruptions to Malaysians – and even their pets – between the peninsula and the South China Sea.
Those affected by the cancelled flights to and from Sabah and Sarawak took to social media to share their experiences yesterday.
On X (formerly Twitter), Tiffa Riza expressed sadness for being unable to return to Kuching to pick up her cats.
“Please pray that my flight doesn’t get delayed because of the volcano eruption. I want to go pick up my cats,” she wrote before finding out about the cancellation of her flight.
She later updated her X status: “I can’t go home because of the volcano. Inbound and outbound flights from Sabah and Sarawak are all cancelled for today and tomorrow.”
A Facebook user, Han Budak Cina, said he was making a trip back to Sarawak yesterday for his wedding tomorrow.
“I was planning to go to Sarawak today (yesterday) … I’m getting married this Saturday,” he wrote.
Another X user known as Miguel said many Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) students from Peninsular Malaysia couldn’t return to their classes in Sarawak following the suspended flights.
“Unimas students from the peninsula who want to go to Sabah and Sarawak this week can’t do so as all flights have been suspended,” he wrote.
Ju Razalli, whose flight from Penang to Sabah was suspended, attached a video of passengers queueing up to leave the aircraft with her post on Facebook.
“All passengers were instructed to leave (the aircraft).
“All flights to Sabah are cancelled effective immediately. Sabah’s airspace is closed,” she wrote.
Sharul Wong posted on Facebook that her daughter’s Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight from Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) scheduled for departure at 9.50am yesterday was also cancelled.
“Now, she is at KKIA, waiting for MAS to reschedule her flight,” he said.
According to news reports, over 2,000 passengers were stranded at Terminal 2 of KLIA due to the eruption of Mount Ruang.
The cancelled flights involve those to Sandakan, Labuan, Miri, Sibu, Bintulu, Kuching and Brunei, which are expected to be affected until 8am today.
“Educating the public about road safety features along highways is crucial, particularly with the expected increase in traffic during the Raya festive period.
“Highlighting lesser-known road safety features, such as emergency phones at intervals along the highway and strategically located Rest and Service Areas (RSA), are essential for enhancing driver awareness and promoting safer journeys,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Other common safety features usually taken for granted by drivers are the lane markings, reflective studs and the Variable Message Signs (VMS) which are strategically located along the highways.
“The VMS provide real-time updates on traffic conditions, accidents and road closures, enabling drivers to make informed decisions and adjust their routes accordingly to avoid potential hazards,” he said.
The lane markings and reflective studs serve as visual cues, especially during night time or bad weather, by helping drivers stay within their lanes while maintaining safe distances from other vehicles, Law added.
While there are currently traffic surveillance cameras to help monitor traffic, he suggested the use of AI-powered analytics and predictive modelling as tools to further enhance road safety along the highways.
Law noted that ultimately, it is raising public awareness among drivers on such road safety features which is crucial.
PLUS Malaysia Bhd (PLUS) expects over two million vehicles to be on major highways during the Raya holidays during peak on April 5, 6, 9, 12, 13 and 14 which is a 15% increase from the usual 1.82 million daily traffic volume.
Highway concessionaire Anih Bhd expects some 1.9 million vehicles to use the KL-Karak (KLK) Expressway and about 882,000 travelling on the East Coast Expressway Phase 1 (LPT1) concessionaire during the festive period.
Some 2.4 million vehicles are expected to travel in and out of Penang over the six-day Raya festive period starting from April 8.
Malaysian Road and Transportation Safety Association president MD Hairolazaman Muhamed Nor said drivers and motorcyclists should be aware of broken down or parked vehicles on emergency lanes or road shoulders on highways.
“Motorists should be on the lookout for such stationary vehicles on highways.
“The driver and passengers of the stalled vehicles should step out quickly and take shelter at a safe spot.
“Preferably, they should be behind the steel safety barriers or railings before seeking help,” he said.
Hairolazaman also said that planning one’s journey could help ease difficulties that might arise during emergencies while on the highway.
Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) chairman Prof Dr Wong Shaw Voon said that some cars nowadays have “eCall” feature which their owners may not be aware of.
“The eCall feature will automatically contact emergency responders in the event of a serious road accident including providing GPS coordinates to emergency services,” he said when contacted.
He added that eCall system would likely become a common added safety feature in cars which could prove helpful in the event of a serious crash.
He also advised drivers of stalled vehicles to move their vehicles to a safe area and stay behind the crash barriers while waiting for help to come.
“Some drivers think they will be safer waiting in their stalled vehicles but it is more dangerous,” he added.
PLUS Malaysia Bhd senior general manager of operations Mohd Yusuf Abd Aziz advised motorists to stay updated on traffic flow and plan their travel schedule using the PLUS smartphone application.
“Travel duration would be longer due during the peak periods due to increased traffic.
“Ensure your vehicles are roadworthy for the travel and pull over at rest areas for a break after every two hours of driving,” added Mohd Yusuf.
Road Safety Experts Association and Safety Driving Centre advisor Datuk Suret Singh said motorcyclists, especially those on smaller machines, and drivers of heavy vehicles such as buses and lorries, should keep to the left lane or slow lane at all times while on the highway.
“Motorcyclists riding at night should don luminous safety vests to stay visible to other motorists or they will be courting disaster,” the former Miros chairman added.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has the potential to attract more international students due to its quality education and affordable cost of living.
Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities (Mapcu) president Datuk Parmjit Singh said factors that encourage students to study in Malaysia include the availability of high quality education programmes system delivered by universities with a strong international outlook and well-developed campuses and facilities.
“Tuition fees are relatively lower… (The same goes for the) living cost in Malaysia,” he said, adding that Malaysia also offers a student-friendly social ecosystem to provide the sort of lifestyle sought by international students.
“The tightening of regulations for international students is happening in a few countries, with some mainly due to shortages of accommodation in these countries.
“This does present opportunities for Malaysia to attract those students who are now unable to study in countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada.
“However, factors such as opportunities to work while studying and more inclusive post-study work opportunities – all of which are available to international students in those countries – may need to be enhanced in order to encourage these students to select Malaysia as a preferred alternative destination,” said Parmjit, who is also Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU)chief executive officer (CEO).
Vice-Chancellors’ Council for Private Universities chairman Prof Mushtak Al-Atabi said in order to attract international students to our shores, Malaysia should make itself a more accessible destination.
“There are multiple countries in the region that are competing with Malaysia to be the regional education hub,” said Prof Mushtak, who is also Heriot-Watt University Malaysia provost and CEO.
National Association of Private Educational Institutions secretary-general Dr Teh Choon Jin said it is important for Malaysia to maintain a good reputation in terms of treatment of international students or foreigners in order to entice students to come here.
“If there is any negative report of ill treatment of foreigners, it may discourage potential international students from pursuing their studies in Malaysia,” he said.
Dr Teh also said these students may face challenges in finding employment opportunities in Malaysia after graduation as there are limited numbers for international graduates, compared to those in countries with more robust job markets.
On the plus side, Malaysia offers great cost savings due to the ringgit’s exchange rate being low compared with countries such as the UK, Australia, Canada and the United States, he added.
Malaysia’s location in South-East Asia with good connectivity to other countries within the region and those beyond the region also makes it an attractive destination to experience Asia, Dr Teh said.
He added that the nation is perceived as a safe country, Muslim-friendly and has a wide variety of food catering to different needs.
“Malaysia has relatively straightforward visa regulations compared to some other countries, making it easier for students to obtain study visas,” said Teh, who is also APU registrar.
Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) CEO Novie Tajuddin said the number of international students coming to Malaysia has been increasing over the years.
He said the principal body that manages the movement of international students in Malaysia, including facilitating visa processing, had received 65,207 applications by the end of 2023.
This is a huge increase compared with 10,453 applications in 2020.
“Malaysia is attractive to international students as (the living cost in the country) is affordable… The people are (also) friendly, and we are advanced in terms of transnational education,” he said when contacted.
“EMGS continues to promote our education, opening the door for new areas, looking into existing policy and working closely with the Higher Education Ministry and to work with other relevant ministries,”
Novie stressed.He also posited that the country could benefit from the tightening of regulations governing international students in other countries such as Canada, Australia and the UK.
Novie highlighted that Malaysia offers a graduate pass for students from 25 countries, including Brunei, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Australia.
This year, he said, China and India were added to the list of countries that offer the pass.
“The graduate pass allows international students to stay for a year after completing their study.
“In this time, they can go on vacation, progress to the next study level or work in Malaysia,” he added.
The graduate pass is a long-term social visit pass that allows holders to gain multiple entries into the country.
The said pass is offered to international graduates who have completed their degree programmes at local universities and other higher education institutes
ON Jan 26 this year, China’s human rights report was unanimously adopted by the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group for the fourth cycle. More than 120 countries spoke highly of China’s remarkable achievements and unremitting efforts in human rights protection.
The concept of “human rights” became known from the West, yet its essential ideas have long existed in Chinese political culture. It was fully embodied in the long-cherished “people-being-first-of-all” political principle.
In the Book of Documents, one of China’s oldest classics written 3,000 years ago, it is written that “People are the foundation of a country. Only when people lead a good life can the country thrive.”
Mencius, the famous Chinese ancient sage, said the same thing: “People are the most important; the state is secondary.”
Since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, priority has been given to ensuring and safeguarding the human rights of all Chinese citizens. Seeing both the global trend and China’s unique situation, the Chinese government has successfully pioneered its own way of advancing human rights protection and made historic achievements in various fields.
The following are three major principles. People are always at the centre. President Xi Jinping said: “… to ensure all Chinese people a life of contentment is China’s most weighty human right.”
After eight years of painstaking efforts, China has successfully alleviated nearly 100 million people out of poverty, putting an end to its centuries-long absolute poverty history.
This is an achievement not only for the Chinese people but also, more importantly, a victory for mankind as a whole. By realising the poverty reduction aim of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of time, China has contributed significantly to global poverty reduction and progress in human development.
China has made solid progress in advancing high-quality development and established the world’s largest education, social security and healthcare systems, bringing tangible benefits to people of all ethnic groups.
Human rights are equally enjoyed by all. China is as diverse and as multiethnic as Malaysia. There are 56 ethnic groups living on this vast land. Like seeds of a pomegranate hugging each other closely, people of different ethnic groups in China love and support each other as brothers and sisters do in one big family.
Big or small, all ethnic groups in China enjoy equal social status. Their rights and benefits are legally stipulated and protected, and freedom of religion is ensured to everyone.
Recent years have seen additional “Outlines for Women’s and Children’s Development” adopted, and “Law on the Protection of Women’s Rights and Interests” amended to further promote gender equality and all-around development of women and children in China.
The physically underprivileged in China are also given proper support with their medical, educational, occupational and spiritual needs.
In upholding the principles of fairness and justice, China has been cooperating with other countries in the UN Human Rights Council and other multilateral organisations.
China has facilitated the adoption of a series of major international human rights conventions and declarations, and shared its wisdom with the rest of the world by proposing the vision of “building a community with a shared future for mankind”. This vision has been incorporated into a number of UN Human Rights Council resolutions.
Besides conducting human rights dialogues with Malaysia and 30 other countries or regions, China has been promoting exchanges and cooperation in various fields to promote human rights protection.
China has proposed the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, which are Chinese solutions to addressing the global concerns of development deficits, security predicament and civilisational alienation.
Human rights are not abstract terms. They are specific in denotation, achievable in practical form and evolve with history. There are no fixed standards or one-fits-all models. Therefore, every country’s human rights development path should be allowed and respected, and success or failure can only be judged by its own people.
By undertaking Chinese-style modernisation, China is steadily advancing its cause of national rejuvenation to make it a stronger and more prosperous country.
China will bring better equitability to all its people and promote human rights protection to new heights.
Malaysia is also a diverse and inclusive society protecting human rights under the rule of law. As a good neighbour and close partner, China is willing to work with Malaysia in various fields to jointly contribute to the advancement of human rights development in both the region and the world.
Article 1 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” I believe that with the collective efforts of all, these common aspirations of humankind will eventually become a reality.
By OUYANG YUJING Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Malaysia
US should speak nicely when seeking help from China: Chinese experts
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Photo:CGTN
US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, a US senior official who is believed to be pragmatic and less hawkish toward China than many of her peers, has arrived Guangzhou, capital of South China’s Guangdong Province, and kicked off her 6-day visit to China from Thursday to Tuesday (April 4-9), with Chinese experts saying on Friday that Yellen is trying to seek helps from China to solve US economic challenges, and they said US officials need to adjust its arrogant attitude and speak nicely when asking helps.
He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Vice Premier of the State Council, has met with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in Guangzhou. The two sides discussed in-depth key issues related to the global, economic and financial fields of China and the US.
He said the main task for this meeting is to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state in their meetings and telephone dialogue, and seek to provide appropriate responses to key concerns in China-US economic relations, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday.
“I opened meetings with Vice Premier He Lifeng for frank and substantive conversations on our bilateral economic relationship. It is crucial that the two largest economies in the world seek progress on global challenges and closely communicate on areas of concern,” Yellen said in a post on social media platform X on Friday afternoon.
On Friday, Yellen also had round-table discussions with economic experts and business leaders from the US and some other countries from Europe and Japan to discuss the economic situation of Chinese market, as well as opportunities and challenges linked to the Chinese economy. Yellen also attended an event with leading representatives of the American business community in China, hosted by AmCham China, and delivered remarks on the bilateral economic relationship.
According to her released schedule in coming days, which expected to include meetings with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and senior Chinese officials who in charge different economic and financial sectors of China, analysts said Yellen’s trip eyes on further stabilizing the China-US relations as US President Joe Biden doesn’t want a fragile and uncertain bilateral ties with China, and Washington needs China’s cooperation to solve its headaches at home: a national debt problem and save US backward production capacity by adding pressure to China’s development in new energy technologies with the pretext of “overcapacity.”
Jin Canrong, the associate dean of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Friday that “Yellen is an official who is different from the hawkish ones in Washington who actively push for confrontation with China, she is relatively pragmatic and moderate.”
In the phone call between the presidents of the two countries on Tuesday evening, Biden is probably asking for China to permit Yellen’s visit, as we can see Yellen kicks off her visit very soon after the phone call, which means that the US has prepared for the visit for a long time, and they are just waiting for China’s green light, Jin said.
“According to this, we can have a conclusion that the US is asking for something urgent. Washington’s national debt problem could be the top of the agenda. Yellen might ask help from China in the field of monetary policy,” Jin noted.
The Congressional Budget Office warned in its latest projections that US federal government debt is on a path from 97 percent of GDP last year to 116 percent by 2034, which is higher even than in World War II. The actual outlook is likely worse, Bloomberg reported on April 2.
The CNBC reported on March 1 that the debt load of the US is growing at a quicker clip in recent months, increasing about $1 trillion nearly every 100 days.
Li Yong, a senior research fellow at the China Association of International Trade, told the Global Times on Friday that in this visit, the Biden administration is seeking the further stabilization of China-US relations in the presidential election year. “The two sides are expected to discuss about coordination on macroeconomic policy and trade, and this is not only important to China and the US, but also significant to the world.”
But as a US official with pragmatic and relatively friendly image to China, Yellen this time presented her tough stance in some areas. According to the website of US Department of Treasury, “During her engagements in China, Secretary Yellen will advocate for American workers and businesses to ensure they are treated fairly, including by pressing Chinese counterparts on unfair trade practices and underscoring the global economic consequences of Chinese industrial overcapacity.”
Washington will not allow “a glut of Chinese production to wipe out American manufacturers of green technology,” Yellen has warned ahead of a trip to China, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.
Li said the US should take the issue about “overcapacity” more objectively, because China’s productive capacity is determined by the global demand and the efficiency and market size of China.
Lü Xiang, a research fellow on US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that Yellen’s expression is a bad signal for China-US trade ties, as this is implying that when the US development in areas like new energy and electric vehicle (EV) is facing backward or even failure, Washington is trying to contain China’s productive capacity to protect its backward capacity.
“This is very disappointing, as this is indecent for a US Secretary of Treasury to blame and contain China’s development in advanced areas to protect US’ backward productive capacity,” Lü noted.
At present, China’s EV export and photovoltaic industry have unshakable status in the world market, the US’ measure to contain China in these fields will receive no outcomes, Lü said. “Chinese economic and financial officials can give Yellen a good lecture about how to mobilize resources in the market and whole society to develop a new industry. The EV industry is an example of the success of China’s market economy.”
Chinese analysts said that Yellen and the Biden administration should understand that, if they are coming to China to ask for help and cooperation, they need to adjust their arrogant attitude and speak nicely, and don’t ask for unfair competition to confront and contain China, who will never submit to pressure based on hegemonic logic.
The world in 2024 is not peaceful. From great power competition to regional conflicts, to numerous global challenges, the global landscape seems to be changing every day. Will the confrontation between Russia and the West lead to a “Cold War …
Hopefully, more countries in the region will join the family of maintaining peace and stability and together promote greater achievements in China-ASEAN relations. We also sincerely look forward to continuing joining hands with ASEAN countries, taking the opportunity of the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence this year to vigorously carry forward the Bandung Spirit that calls for solidarity, friendship and cooperation, to eliminate external interference, enhance solidarity and cooperation, safeguard peace and tranquility and provide more positive energy and stability to the region and the world.
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