Category: General

KLANG, Acacia by Pacific Senior Living, a senior living facility here featuring a resort-like atmosphere, has registered 20 residents since its launch last November.

Pacific Senior Living Sdn Bhd interim chief executive officer and health services director Dr J. Ramnan said they are committed to focusing on providing comprehensive healthcare for senior citizens.

He said this is evident through the initiative to equip all 136 rooms in the residence with the latest medical facilities and meticulously designed premium services for individuals aged 60 and above.

“This is quite a significant achievement after the inauguration ceremony of the residence, which was officiated by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, accompanied by the Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor, Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, last year,” he said.

He told reporters this at a Hari Raya gathering with the media here today, which was also attended by Pacific Senior Living chief development officer Mutalib Ahmad.

He said the reside
nce offers a choice of Superior, Executive and Premier rooms with accommodation prices starting from RM8,500 per month.

Meanwhile, one of the residents, Sharon Lee Soo Sin, 68, said her one-month stay at Acacia has been pleasant and refreshing.

‘I am thankful and impressed by the wonderful team. All the staff are well-trained, dedicated, committed, caring, loving, pleasant, cheerful, patient, with some going the extra mile.

‘They treat us as their extended families, uncles and aunties or grandparents, with respect and dignity and not as customers. Their caring, positive and loving attitude will influence and impact the residents, and make a real difference in their lives.

‘Very encouraging, comforting and uplifting. They (residents) have health issues or need rehabilitative care. I would highly recommend Acacia to all who need assisted living and care,’ she added.

For more information on Acacia by Pacific Senior Living, visit www.pacificseniorliving.com.my or follow Pacific Senior Living on Instagram and
Facebook.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA TERENGGANU, Repair and mitigation work of slopes at the Kenyir Dam, Hulu Terengganu, under the Public Works Department (PWD)’s purview, has reached a physical progress level of 30 per cent as of March 24.

State Infrastructure, Utilities and Rural Development Committee chairman Hanafiah Mat said the progress status had exceeded 19 per cent set in the project work schedule.

‘PWD received a letter from the Ministry of Finance on Aug 10, 2023, with five work orders issued to the contractor Pintas Utama Sdn Bhd for repair work at five landslide locations along route T134 Jalan Kampung Gaung – Kuala Pueh, Jenagor.

‘Work at the site started in October 2023 and is expected to be fully completed in the third quarter of 2025. The total cost of repairs is RM42,990,850,’ he said.

He said this in his reply to a question from Hilmi Harun (PAS-Manir) who asked about the latest status of Kenyir Dam repair work due to landslides which occurred on Feb 27, 2022, during the oral question and answer session of the State
Legislative Assembly sitting today.

At the same time, he said the repair work on slopes in the area of the Sultan Mahmud Power Station (SJSM), is under the supervision of a subsidiary of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), which is TNB Power Generation Sdn Bhd (TNB Genco).

‘The TNB Grid Division has also carried out slope repair work for the TNB line route area outside the station to ensure the structure remains strong. Stabilisation work on the basic structure of the transmission tower was also carried out to ensure that the electricity generated could be sent to the national grid system.

‘The station’s has been running as usual and in good condition,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil today expressed regret at Universiti Malaya (UM) for inviting a foreign speaker who made controversial statements and disrespected the sentiments of the community, especially concerning Malaysia’s support for Palestine.

Fahmi said he was completely baffled by UM’s action in inviting the speaker who was inclined towards the Zionist regime.

Fahmi, who is also Lembah Pantai Member of Parliament, said that this should not have happened, let alone at UM, because the university is the alma mater of many of the country’s top leaders.

‘UM is also located in my parliamentary constituency and as the MP, I deeply regretted it.

‘We all know that our Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) has always been vocal in championing the Palestinian cause,’ he said at the Communications Ministry’s Monthly Assembly here today.

UM has been in hot soup after allowing a political science professor, Bruce Gilley, to spread Zionist propaganda and accuse Malaysian leaders of advocat
ing a ‘second Holocaust’ for Jews during his talk at the university.

The presence of Gilley at the university went viral on X yesterday after it was uploaded by the professor himself.

Earlier today, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir ordered all programmes and activities scheduled to be attended by the professor to be cancelled immediately.

The university has also been asked to investigate the matter and report further details as soon as possible.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SERIAN (Sarawak), The body of Able Seaman I Joanna Felicia Rohna, 26, who perished in the mid-air collision and crash of two Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) helicopters in Lumut on Tuesday, will be buried in Kampung Engkeroh Tebakang near here at 9.00 am today.

The burial rites, which will be carried out according to TLDM tradition, will take place at the Kampung Engkaroh Tebakang Christian cemetery.

Earlier, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM) C-130 aircraft carrying Joanna’s remains arrived at the Kuching air base from Ipoh, Perak, at 11.54 pm yesterday.

The body was then brought to Kampung Engkaroh Tebakang and at arrived at the village at about 2.08 am today.

A sombre atmosphere enveloped the late Joanna’s family home in the village, where family members had gathered as early as 5 pm yesterday to wait for the arrival of the body and pay their final respects.

‘Never did I expect that this meeting would be our last. She had promised to meet us upon her return for the Gawai celebration…but who would have t
hought the meeting would end up like this,’ said one of her closest relatives, Richard Jiubat Bluka, 26.

The crash involving a Maritime Operations Helicopter (HOM-AW139) and a Fennec (M502-6) aircraft at 9.32 am during fly-past training in conjunction with TLDM’s 90th anniversary, scheduled early next month, killed 10 TLDM officers and personnel, including Joanna.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) is evolving, shifting from a traditional focus on savings for retirement to a delicate balancing act between ensuring adequate retirement savings and supporting the economic survival of their members.

Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said this while discussing the much-talked-about Account 3, named Account Fleksibel by EPF, which comes into effect on May 11, 2024.

‘We have observed that issues such as the cost of living, slow wage growth, and the proliferation of gig employment have significantly affected the livelihoods of Malaysians and EPF members.

‘Thus, it’s a delicate balancing act between meeting adequate savings for retirement and ensuring the economic survival of EPF members,’ he told Bernama.

Mohd Afzanizam also stressed that EPF is not the sole organisation responsible for societal betterment.

‘We have policies on education, healthcare, entrepreneurship, and financial assistance in the form of subsidies, cas
h transfers, scholarships, grants, and microfinancing, among others, that will provide the right platform for Malaysians to lead better lives.

‘These policies are governed by various ministries and government agencies. Therefore, we need to adopt a broader perspective on economic development,’ he said.

Mohd Afzanizam further noted that EPF members might not benefit from the compounding effect of the investment principle in their EPF savings if they opt in for the Account Fleksibel and withdraw their contributions.

‘Members really need to conduct due diligence before deciding to withdraw money.

‘They should use this opportunity to take corrective action when facing higher indebtedness. I believe the Account Fleksibel should help members improve their current financial standing.

‘Although this move will enable members to have higher disposable income, it requires members to be disciplined in their use of Akaun Fleksibel,’ he concluded.

Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Arshad Ayub Graduate Busin
ess School (AAGBS) senior lecturer Professor Tan Peck Leong said Malaysia is transitioning into an ageing nation and life expectancy is on the rise due to advancements in healthcare.

‘It’s crucial to recognise that today’s actions will profoundly impact tomorrow’s financial security and retirees will require substantial financial resources to sustain themselves.

‘Withdrawals should only be considered for essential long-term investments such as education, housing, or medical emergencies. Frivolous spending, such as on luxury items or vacations, should not be funded through EPF withdrawals,’ he said.

In essence, Tan said the EPF should be treated as a compulsory long-term savings vehicle.

‘Considering the increasing cost of living and inflation, maintaining a robust retirement fund is essential for future financial stability.

‘Therefore, prudent financial planning dictates that EPF withdrawals should be reserved for genuine necessities, ensuring a secure financial future for all Malaysians,’ he said.

Duri
ng an editors’ briefing ahead of the announcement, EPF chief executive officer Ahmad Zulqarnain Onn said: ‘We encourage people not to do so (opt-in) because it is important to save for (one’s) old age, but we understand that flexibility is desired, and from time to time, (one) may need to access (one’s) savings to pay for unexpected expenses.’

He cautioned that if every EPF member were to opt in, the total fund that would be moved to Account Fleksibel would amount to RM57 billion, of which about RM25 billion would be expected to be withdrawn in the first year.

Akaun Fleksibel is a new account that is optional for its 16.07 million members. It provides flexibility for short-term financial needs; savings from this account can be withdrawn at any time according to members’ needs.

Effective May 11, 2024, all EPF members under the age of 55 will have their accounts restructured into three accounts, namely Akaun Persaraan, Akaun Sejahtera and Akaun Fleksibel.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency