Cambodia News Gazette

KUALA LUMPUR, The Facebook page of ‘503 Squadron’ has been showered with posts from netizens offering prayers and condolences to the families of all the victims who died in the crash involving two helicopters at the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Base in Lumut, Perak earlier today.

The Facebook page went viral after a post uploaded four days ago showing several photos of the squadron sending two Maritime Operations Helicopters (HOM-AW139) together with nine aircrew and 11 aircraft technicians to Lumut to participate in the fly-past at KD Pelandok in conjunction with the RMN’s 90th Anniversary Day Parade on April 27.

One of the four images uploaded showed five RMN personnel waving goodbye to their departing comrades from the Naval base in Teluk Sepanggar to Lumut, truly touching the hearts of netizens.

Even more soul-stirring was the image accompanied by the caption: “A meaningful wave from some of the crew left behind, after this, maybe they can always return early? Who knows, but we can still hope for the be
st.

A Facebook user, Mohamad Taufik, left a comment: “Their final wave. Tears fell seeing their picture. Deepest condolences and Al-Fatihah to the crew of the crashed helicopter. May Allah grant the highest rank to the victims.”

Syafiq Wahab also commented: “Rest in peace, our national heroes. May Allah forgive all their sins and place them among the believers and admit them to Paradise without any reckoning or punishment. The people of Malaysia pray for your well-being. Accept our salute.”

Muhd Iqbal reacted: “Oh Allah. This picture touches the heart. Place these national warriors among the believers. Amen, Oh Allah,” while Mart Shap said: “My tears fell… we lost 10 national heroes at once.”

Meanwhile, another social media user, Ummusa Alawiyah Ahmad, commented that the incident had also caught the attention of the international media: “Already on the 6 o’clock news in Sydney, 9News Australia. ‘Allahhummaghfirlahum Warhamhum’…Amen from us in the diaspora (Australia)’.

In the tragedy at 9.32 am, 10 membe
rs of the RMN including the Commanding Officer of Squadron 503 Commander Muhammad Firdaus Ramli were confirmed dead.

Meanwhile, in KOTA KINABALU, it was sadness and sorrow for the colleagues and friends of the 503 Squadron members who perished in the crash.

Eastern Fleet Command Headquarters Public Relations Officer Lt Commander Mohd Fadzhil Salleh said it was all doom and gloom as soon as news of the crash reached the base.

Apart from Muhammad Firdaus, who was also the pilot of the HOM-AW139 aircraft, the others who perished from the 503 Squadron were Lt Commander Wan Rezaudeen Kamal Wan Zainal Abidin, Lt Commander Mohammad Amirulfaris Mohamad Marzukhi and Warrant Officer II TLR (AQM) Muhammad Faisol Tamadun.

Having been closely acquainted with Muhammad Firdaus, Mohd Fadzhil admitted that he felt the loss of a very good friend, who liked to help people and always smiled cheerfully.

“I truly feel the loss with the passing of the deceased. When we heard the news of the incident, tears flowed from our eyes
, as we shared both good and bad times and fulfilled our responsibilities as RMN personnel. The bond of brotherhood is indeed very strong and unforgettable,” he said in an emotional tone when contacted by Bernama today.

Mohd Fadzhil said he had often worked closely with the late Muhammad Firdaus in arranging media aerial surveys, the latest being during the recent Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.

“The helicopter rides were very smooth when he was handling it, showing his competence and experience. Moreover, the crew always felt safe and comfortable in the helicopter operated by him,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KOTA KINABALU, A total compensation of RM651 million has been paid to 1,591 landowners and stakeholders involved in the construction of the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sabah.

Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, who is also Sabah Minister of Works, said the compensation payments until 2019 involved 12 packages under the supervision of the project delivery partner (PDP).

‘These packages include road upgrades from Sindumin to Kampung Melalia, Kampung Melalia to Beaufort, Beaufort to Bongawan, Bongawan to Papar, Papar to Donggongon.

‘Putatan to Inanam, Inanam to Sepanggar, Sepanggar to Berungis roundabout, construction of roads from Pituru to Rampayan Laut, road upgrades from Tawau to Semporna (Package One, Phase Two), construction of Lahad Datu Bypass road and road upgrades from Kampung Lot M to Sandakan 32nd mile,’ he said at the state assembly sitting here today.

He was answering a question from Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Senallang) who inquired about the total compensation paid
to landowners for each package under the PDP for the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sabah.

Shahelmey also said that as of April 1, a total of RM1.147 billion in compensation has been paid to those involved in the construction of the highway.

He said compensation for land and structures was lower in Sarawak as the existing road corridor is 100 metres wide there, while in Sabah, it is only 30 metres.

He said that the policy implementation of the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah and Sarawak is to upgrade the existing main Federal roads, but the Federal roads consist of one two-lane road which is then upgraded to two two-lane roads.

Shahelmey said the aim of implementing the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sabah and Sarawak is to enhance the existing primary Federal roads, but added that these Federal roads are currently single two-lane roads, which will be transformed into dual two-lane roads through the upgrade process.

‘This entails acquiring wide swathes of land. In land acquisition, Sarawak provides less compen
sation compared to Sabah. It involves not only land acquisition but also compensation for affected houses or structures,’ he remarked.

He said detailed information would be provided in writing after obtaining data from the State Land and Survey Department.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) will receive BaselineZ ® academic software licenses for another year from CRAYTIVE Technologies, a global leader in subsurface visualisation and collaboration software for Extended Reality (XR) in geoscience.

UTP, in a statement today, informed that the contribution from CRAYTIVE Technologies is valued at more than US$175,000 (equivalent to RM836,150) per year, which empowers the next generation of geoscience researchers and professionals, enhancing their understanding and capabilities within subsurface domains.

According to the statement, BaselineZ allows students to experience immersive and collaborative 3D visualisation around multiscale geoscience data, in which teaching successes have revealed a remarkable improvement in the understanding of complex geological and seismic concepts.

‘After the positive feedback, BaselineZ will continue to play a role in the UTP curriculum. UTP also plans to use BaselineZ in diverse research projects, including a projec
t that evaluates the potential of Karst for carbon storage, both in development and evaluation,’ the statement read.

It added that BaselineZ’s immersive approach is notably beneficial for UTP’s geoscience students, providing an effective learning experience such as the virtual bird’s-eye view teaching methodology with collaborative XR visualisation and valuable hands-on experience.

‘UTP plans to continue integrating XR methodology into its educational framework, demonstrating a commitment to innovative teaching methods. This initiative signals a promising avenue for further exploration and integration of immersive learning experiences within the geoscience curriculum,’ according to UTP.

Meanwhile, UTP vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib, in the same statement, said that the collaboration with CRAYTIVE Technologies will significantly contribute to establishing UTP as a leader in innovative geoscience education.

‘We are grateful for CRAYTIVE Technologies’ generous donation of Baselin
eZ licenses. Our collaboration is a prime example of how industry partnerships can play a crucial role in equipping future generations of geoscientists with the skills and knowledge they need,’ he said.

CRAYTIVE Technologies chief executive officer (CEO) Raymond Pols said the donation to UTP represents their commitment to preparing the workforce of the future for subsurface studies.

“As the world’s demands shift and we delve deeper into understanding our planet’s subsurface mysteries, equipping educational institutions with the right tools becomes paramount,’ he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

GUA MUSANG, The Ministry of Education is leaving it to the police to investigate the alleged assault by a male teacher on his colleague at a primary school in Kemaman, Terengganu, stated Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.

“The case is under investigation, and we defer to the police, with the ministry agreeing to all actions taken by the police,” she said when asked to comment on the investigation into the incident.

She was speaking to reporters after the launch of the Enhancing Reading Through Digital Text materials under the Literacy Programme for Orang Asli and Indigenous pupils at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Betis here today.

Yesterday, Terengganu police chief Datuk Mazli Mazlan was reported to have said a 49-year-old male teacher, suspected of assaulting his colleague at a Kemaman primary school, was arrested at a teacher’s quarters around 9.30 pm last Sunday.

In response to the issue of vaping with magic mushroom liquid among school students, Fadhlina emphasised that school authorities are treating the
matter with great seriousness. She also urged parents to closely monitor their children’s activities outside of school.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, The people must be empowered to embrace their role and responsibilities in nation-building, and this duty extends far beyond the realm of leadership alone, Director of the Strategic Security Division at the Prime Minister’s Office, Khairil Hilmi Mokhtar said.

Using security issues as an example, he said it is not only limited to national security and defence but has a broader scope, including economic security, food security and cybersecurity, which require the commitment of every citizen.

‘For example, when we are faced with the risk of food supply disruption, we see how the relevant ministries together with farmers can increase rice production through the policies provided.

‘But on social media, there is always a tendency to criticise these efforts, which undermines the efforts of our own people because those conducting the study are from government departments and they are still Malaysian citizens…

‘….the ones planting rice are also Malaysian farmers, why criticise when we are from the s
ame team,’ he said in the ‘Cakna Kenegaraan’ programme broadcast via Akademi Kenegaraan Malaysia’s (AKM) Facebook page today.

The programme is an AKM initiative aimed at providing knowledge to the public on Malaysia MADANI, stressing on patriotic values, identity and unity among the people.

Hence, he urged the public to exercise vigilance in scrutinising all social media content, ensuring that they critically evaluate information for potential biases or agendas that could sow discord and misunderstanding.

Moreover, he stressed the importance of Malaysians embracing the Rukun Negara as a guiding principle in their daily lives, given its comprehensive values in national development.

Just as how it is with the Malaysia MADANI concept, Khairil Hilmi underscored the importance of integrity, governance and trust to incorporate positive values not only in individuals but also across society, shaping a respected civilisation immortalised in history.

He said the policy spearheaded by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anw
ar Ibrahim through Malaysia MADANI aims to bolster integrity to minimise wastage while rectifying shortcomings.

‘Normalised negative behaviours must be redirected to the right path…this will undoubtedly take time and face resistance from those accustomed to their comfort zones, who often overlook their mistakes.

‘…..yet, if we aspire to make things right for our nation, we must be prepared for introspection, to see ourselves as integral members of this country, and rectify any wrongs by upholding good governance as a life principle, be it in work, education or conduct,’ he said.

Reflecting on his tenure at the Prime Minister’s Office, Khairil Hilmi regarded Anwar as a champion striving to elevate Malaysia towards a brighter future, with benefits ultimately reaped by the people.

‘This is the essence of our aspirations. I’ve witnessed firsthand Anwar’s dedication, honesty and sacrifice of personal interests, sometimes even neglecting his own well-being and leisure, all in the pursuit of our nation-buildin
g agenda, particularly in shaping a better Malaysia for us to inherit and pass on to future generations,’ he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency