Latest news with #Halim
New Straits Times
02-06-2025
- New Straits Times
Cops seize 365kg of meth worth RM13.14 million, suspected trafficker held
KANGAR: Police busted a major drug trafficking operation in Perlis following the seizure of 365kg of syabu (methamphetamines) worth RM13.14 million concealed in a car in Beseri, Padang Besar, yesterday. A 40-year-old man, believed to be a trafficker, was arrested in the early morning raid. Perlis police chief Datuk Muhammad Abdul Halim said the operation followed a tip-off, leading officers to a house in Kampung Belat Batu, Beseri, at 3.30am yesterday. "Police detained a man driving a Proton Waja in the area. Interrogation led to the discovery of a Toyota Vios parked nearby, suspected to be linked to drug activities," he told a press conference at the state police headquarters here today. A search of the vehicle found 17 tightly sewn sacks containing crystal meth, also known as syabu, with a street value of over RM13 million. A preliminary investigation found the suspect had previously been involved in human trafficking activities, using illegal jungle routes in Padang Besar to smuggle undocumented migrants across the border. "For this case, we believe the same routes were used to bring in the meth supply from a neighbouring country," he said. The seized drugs were believed to have been stored temporarily in houses or vehicles in Perlis before being transported to destinations in the south, including the Klang Valley. Halim said the suspect, who works as a heavy machinery driver, had five prior criminal records involving snatch theft, drug offences and human trafficking. A drug test also returned positive for methamphetamine. "The seized meth could supply up to 3.6 million drug users," he added. Police are now tracking down another man believed to be the suspect's accomplice, who fled the scene during the operation. The suspect has been remanded until June 7 to assist in investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment upon conviction.
New Straits Times
01-06-2025
- New Straits Times
'He loved diving': Father mourns son's death in Aceh accident
KUALA LUMPUR: The father of Haikal Rafie Halim, who died in a diving accident off the coast of Iboih in Kota Sabang, Aceh, Indonesia, yesterday, said his son had always been passionate about the activity and never imagined it would one day cost him his life. Haikal's father, Halim Abu Hassan, said his son loved diving and had explored many locations with his friends and wife. "However, we never expected that this time it would end in tragedy," he said when contacted. Halim said his 33-year-old son had travelled to Aceh last Thursday with his wife and a group of 10 friends, and had sent a photo from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport before departing. "They also called my wife, and we had the chance to exchange well wishes before they arrived. "Once they reached Aceh, my daughter-in-law sent us photos and made a video call from the chalet. But my son was mostly quiet during the call, and it was my daughter-in-law who chatted with us at length." He added that his son had often gone diving at locations including Pulau Tioman, Pulau Redang, Pulau Perhentian, and several other places. "I only found out about the incident at around 1.30pm yesterday after one of his friends called to inform us. "As for what exactly happened, I'm still unsure. My daughter-in-law is still too shaken to speak about it," he said. Halim said his son's remains will be brought home this evening and will be laid to rest at the Kampung Melayu Rasa Cemetery in Rasa, Hulu Selangor. Haikal was reported to have died while diving off Iboih at around 9.30am local time, accompanied by two Malaysian friends and a diving instructor. Indonesia's Berita Rakyat Aceh news portal reported that police responded promptly to the scene after receiving the report. The report said that after 20 minutes of diving at a depth of 30 metres, the group was swept away by an underwater current. Haikal reportedly attempted to ascend following the instructor's orders but lost consciousness upon reaching the surface. Rescue efforts were immediately carried out, and the victim was rushed by speedboat to Iboih Beach. His friends and the instructor administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before taking him by car to a nearby clinic. Upon arriving at the clinic at around 10.30am local time, medical personnel provided immediate treatment, but Haikal was pronounced dead.
Straits Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
France's Macron, Indonesia's Prabowo to discuss strategic partnerships
France's President Emmanuel Macron (centre) and Indonesia's Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin (right) at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in Jakarta, on May 27. PHOTO: AFP JAKARTA - French President Emmanuel Macron will meet his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on May 28, and defence ties with Paris' biggest arms client in South-east Asia are expected to be on the agenda. Indonesia is the second leg of Mr Macron's regional trip after Vietnam, where the two countries signed deals worth over US$10 billion. He is scheduled to fly to Singapore on May 29. Indonesia's foreign ministry said the two sides would discuss 'existing strategic partnerships,' without giving specific details about the areas of discussion. In 2022, the two countries signed an US$8.1 billion defence deal that included an order for 42 Rafale fighter jets made by France's Dassault Aviation, as well as a series of agreements including submarine development and ammunition. 'Some commitments need follow-up and Indonesia has shown interest in some other military hardware, but there has been no progress yet,' said Mr Khairul Fahmi, a military expert at Indonesia-based Institute for Security and Strategic Studies. No Rafale jets have been delivered to Indonesia yet. The chief of the Indonesian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Mohamad Tonny Harjono, said in February that six jets would arrive in Indonesia in early 2026, state news agency Antara reported. Aside from the Rafale deal, Indonesia in 2024 struck an agreement with French state-owned shipyard Naval Group to buy two 'Scorpene' submarines, and in 2023 announced the purchase of 13 long-range air surveillance radars from France's Thales. Mr Prabowo, who became president last year, was the defence minister when these deals were signed. Mr Macron's delegation to mineral-rich Indonesia includes French mining group Eramet's new CEO Paulo Castellari. Eramet chairwoman Christel Bories said they would look to discuss mining permits in relation to the Weda Bay nickel mine. Indonesia is the world's largest producer of nickel, and also holds the biggest known reserves of the metal. Ms Eramet and other companies have complained about reduced volume allowances. The group also has been in talks with Indonesia's new sovereign wealth fund, Danantara, about battery supply-chain investments, with Ms Eramet still wanting to get into nickel processing after dropping a plan to build a plant with BASF last year. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Sinar Daily
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sinar Daily
More Malaysians embrace sign language through music, online platforms
MANY people may assume that sign language is exclusively for the hearing-impaired and those within that community, and therefore see no need to learn it, especially since the hand gestures used in communication can appear somewhat complex. However, efforts by some local singers to include sign language in their music videos have, to a certain extent, succeeded in popularising it. Among the trending music videos featuring sign language were those by local singer Mimifly, whose real name is Shamimi Amalina Norhisham. She featured hand gestures as part of the choreography for her songs 'Serumpun' and 'Angkat' released this year and last year respectively. Both videos gained widespread attention, particularly on TikTok, as many users took on the challenge of dancing to the rhythm and lyrics, sharing their own videos on the social media platform. Mimifly said her decision to feature sign language in her music videos was to connect with the hearing-impaired community. Previously, Nur Nabila Mohd Razali, better known as Nabila Razali, also drew attention when she translated her festive song 'Raya Mana' into sign language. The singer revealed she learned sign language from YouTube. EDUCATING THROUGH SONG Educator Abdul Halim Mohd Nasa is also doing his part to raise awareness about sign language to foster a more inclusive environment for the deaf community. This special education teacher for hearing-impaired students at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tunku Ampuan Durah in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, has adopted a creative approach by translating song lyrics into sign language and sharing them on his TikTok account, @Alimzsensei, which quickly captured the attention of his followers. Halim, who became active on TikTok in 2022, has been featuring popular and trending songs in his content, performing lip-syncs synchronised with hand gestures and facial expressions. Among the songs he has covered are 'Salam Terakhir' (Sudirman), 'Hening Rindu' (Marsha Milan) and 'Angkat' (Mimifly). The videos he uploads regularly garner tens of thousands of views, earning a spot on the platform's For You Page (FYP). "Most of the songs are requests from TikTok followers and I simply fulfill them to help people learn basic sign language through my video content,' said Abdul Halim, who now has over 27,000 followers on TikTok. "I originally made TikTok videos about pastries, then one of my students asked me to do a singing video... then came (the idea of) teaching sign language through singing and songs. "At the time, my only intention was to create awareness so that more people would learn and communicate in sign language. For me, this approach is easier because while entertaining, we are also educating.' Halim said he is also happy to note that society is now more open and willing to learn sign language. "As an educator for students with special needs (hearing impairment), I am pleased when individuals, including artistes, help elevate and empower sign language, which indirectly acknowledges the presence of the deaf community in society. "This is also a positive sign as we are encouraging more people to learn sign language, which I believe is essential when interacting with the hearing-impaired,' he told Bernama. Abdul Halim, who has been teaching students with special needs for the last 15 years, said at first, he only had a basic knowledge of sign language before taking the initiative to learn it himself from students and other teachers, as well as by joining short courses organised by various parties, including the Malaysian Federation of the Deaf. ENHANCE INTERACTION Meanwhile, head of the Special Education Programme at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Dr Mohd Norazmi Nordin said sign language is a visual language or form of communication that emphasises the use of hands, facial expressions and body movements to convey messages. He said by understanding sign language, members of the public can communicate more effectively with the deaf and mute community, which in turn helps foster empathy and improve social interaction, thus making it easier for the hearing-impaired to carry out their daily tasks. He also explained that the sign language used within the community is not just a set of ordinary "gestures' but one with its own grammar structure, just like spoken languages. In this country, Malaysian Sign Language (BIM) is recognised as the principal language of the deaf community and it was developed based on the structure of Bahasa Melayu, while also possessing its own unique visual and linguistic features. "In the school education system, we also use the Bahasa Melayu Hand Code (KTBM), which is more structured in terms of syntax and morphology. Both structures play distinct and important roles in communication and the language learning process of students with hearing disabilities. "An understanding of the linguistic aspects of sign language should also be emphasised so that society does not underestimate its use,' he said. Norazmi said sign language should be more widely used across all official communication channels, including print and electronic media. He added that the initiatives by RTM and Bernama TV to feature sign language interpreters in news broadcasts should be emulated by other television stations. "The deaf community also has the right to access information just like everyone else. We need to move toward truly disability-friendly broadcasting. "By expanding the use of sign language interpreters in mass media, we are not only granting access to the hearing-impaired community but also educating other viewers on the need for inclusive communication. This will raise general awareness that every citizen, regardless of ability, deserves equal opportunities to receive information and news,' he said. ACCEPTANCE Norazmi added that the presence of sign language interpreters on television also provides direct exposure to millions of viewers, allowing them to learn sign language as well. This effort, he said, is a strategic step toward mainstreaming sign language, which should not be viewed solely as a communication tool but also as a valuable professional skill. "There could be even more exciting initiatives in the future, such as having well-known sign language interpreters, possibly from among celebrities, which would not only create new career opportunities but also elevate the status of sign language itself,' he said. Norazmi said although sign language has gained wider acceptance in society, many still do not truly understand it as appreciation of the language as well as its use as a medium of communication remain limited. "There needs to be more exposure and training at various levels. Many parties have begun to take the initiative by organising workshops, courses and digital content to introduce sign language to the public. "However, these efforts need to be supported more comprehensively, including through government policies, educational institutions and the media,' he said. - BERNAMA
New Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
Veteran pilot paints skies over Pantai Cenang with sunset aerobatics
LANGKAWI: Veteran pilot Datuk Halim Othman lit up the skies over Pantai Cenang with a stunning sunset aerobatic display, captivating thousands during this year's Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima '25). Flying a specially modified Extra 300L Krisakti light aircraft, Halim's solo performance, complete with heart-shaped smoke trails and synchronised pyrotechnics, quickly became one of the most talked-about highlights of the five-day event, spreading widely across social media. Describing the show as an effort to "paint the dusk", the 59-year-old said he wanted to offer something memorable following the hiatus in air shows caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. "After Covid-19, this year's Lima feels like a breath of fresh air. So I thought, why not offer something different, like a performance at sunset, when most people are winding down," he told Bernama at the Aerotree Group booth. Halim said the performance was made possible by technical modifications to the aircraft, which was fitted with six pyrotechnic units, three on each wing, programmed to ignite in sequence. Each burned for around 75 seconds, accompanying a series of light manoeuvres against the Langkawi evening sky. He said the idea was first conceived in London two months ago and was realised with the support of local aviation firm Aerotree Group, the show's principal sponsor. Preparations included integrating the onboard effects and securing safety certification from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM). "But this isn't just about spectacle. It's part of Aerotree's corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitment to inspire young Malaysians to dream big in the world of aerospace," he said. He also revealed plans to establish a new six-aircraft aerobatic team equipped with coloured smoke, set to make its debut at future Lima shows and National Day celebrations. Lima '25, hosted at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC), featured a wide array of international aerospace and maritime assets. It concluded today after running from May 20 to 24.
