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Daily Express
38 minutes ago
- General
- Daily Express
Argus Residence: Celebrating the memories of a former Eurasian ‘enclave' in George Town
Published on: Friday, June 20, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jun 20, 2025 By: Opalyn Mok, Malay Mail Text Size: The Argus Residence by GTHH is now open for booking. — Picture by Opalyn Mok GEORGE TOWN: Every evening along a short narrow lane, just behind the Assumption Church in George Town, shrieks of laughter would fill the air as children ran and played. It was a time before there were many cars on the roads and that narrow lane was a playground for the children living in the row of five terraced houses. Advertisement 'It was like a dead end because the road leads to a narrow back lane so cars didn't come in,' said Stan De Souza. The 86-year-old was one of the children who used to run and play along Argus Lane back when Eurasian families lived in that row of houses. That was between the 1930s to the early 2010s, a period of over 70 years. The five terrace houses, built in 1928 and owned by the Church of the Assumption, were rented to the Eurasian families. Advertisement 'We were like one big family where everyone knew everyone who lived there,' De Souza said. Among those who lived there were the De Souza, Scully, Newman and Cutter families. De Souza, who lived in the first house of the row, said his parents lived there from the 1940s. 'We went through World War II here, watched the bombs drop, hid in our homes,' he said. He remembered going to school at the nearby St Xavier's Institution before it was bombed during the war. 'After that, school was in a small attap house next to Convent Light Street,' he said. He reminisced about going back to study in a newly built St Xavier's Institution when he was in Form Four. 'I came back in January this year, wondering what happened to my childhood home when I met the George Town Heritage Hotels (GTHH) people who were restoring the buildings,' he said. GTHH has leased the row of houses from the church and restoration started last year. Today, Argus Residence is an extension of Seven Terraces Hotel — also a part of GTHH — and they are connected by a back lane. Each of the houses is named after each Eurasian family who lived there; Dragone, Cutter, Newman, Scully and De Souza. According to De Souza, Dragone was his mother's maiden name. 'My mother was Sybil Dragone and she was a teacher at Convent Light Street,' he said. 'I hope to book a weekend in this house one day and bring my siblings and our families to relive our memories growing up here,' he said. The last of the Eurasian residents living there was Ann Cutter who died a few years ago. Her niece, Corinne Cutter, who used to live in one of the houses too, remembered the strong sense of community among those who lived there. 'We used to gather outside and sing Christmas songs during Christmas,' she said. GTHH unveiled the Argus Residence yesterday and invited some of the former residents to visit the newly restored buildings GTHH founder Chris Ong said the residences are decorated in an eclectic Edwardian mid-century style; a mix of modern furnishings and Ong's unique creations. 'We are honoured that the church approached us to restore these buildings,' he said. He said GTHH hoped to also collect stories from the Eurasian community who used to live in these houses. 'We want to honour the memories of those who lived here and tell their stories too,' he said.
Daily Express
an hour ago
- Daily Express
Widower jailed 2 years for soliciting sex from teen daughter
Published on: Friday, June 20, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jun 20, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: The self-employed man pleaded guilty after the charge was read before Muar sessions court judge Sayani Nor. (File pic) PETALING JAYA: A 47-year-old widower has been sentenced to two years in jail and two strokes of the rotan for inviting his teenage daughter to engage in sexual acts. The self-employed man pleaded guilty after the charge was read before Muar sessions court judge Sayani Nor, Harian Metro reported. Advertisement He was charged with sexually communicating with his 14-year-old daughter, his only child, at a house in Batu Pahat, Johor, at around 4pm on June 16. The charge was framed under Section 11(1)(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, punishable by a maximum three years in jail upon conviction. The charge was also read with Section 16 of the same Act, which provided for an additional sentence of up to five years and two strokes of the rotan due to the relationship of trust between him and the victim. Deputy public prosecutor Diyana Najihah Fauzi prosecuted while the man was unrepresented. Advertisement According to the case facts, the victim contacted her aunt earlier this month to express fears that her father might act inappropriately towards her. On the day of the incident, the girl had rejected her father's advances and left his bedroom. The aunt then asked one of her children to pick the girl up from the house. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
an hour ago
- Business
- Daily Express
Zero sales tax on local fruits will strengthen national economy
Published on: Friday, June 20, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jun 20, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: Purchasing local fruits can also help ensure the country's agricultural industry continues to grow and stabilise the food sector. - Pic for illustration only Kuala Lumpur: The government's decision to maintain a zero Sales Tax for local fruits will not only encourage Malaysians to incorporate these agricultural products into their daily diet but will also be able to contribute to the national economy, according to experts. Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Melaka branch, Jasin Campus, Associate Professor Dr Fazleen Abdul Fatah said this was because, aside from being highly nutritious, local fruits would remain reasonably priced and accessible to the public with the zero Sales Tax in place. Advertisement 'Local fruits such as papaya and mango are naturally very rich in various nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and fibre, which are good for addressing skin, cellular, and heart-related health issues. 'The content of bioactive compounds found in local fruits is also able to act as natural antioxidants, boost the immune system, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and many more,' she told Bernama. According to Fazleen, local fruits will also be more easily available because these agricultural products do not need to go through a long transit period to be in the market, compared to imported fruits 'Purchasing local fruits can also help ensure the country's agricultural industry continues to grow and stabilise the food sector,' she said. Advertisement A lecturer at the Department of Food Services Management, UiTM Puncak Alam, Selangor, Associate Professor Dr Zuraini Mat Issa@Zakaria, said Malaysia could reduce its dependence on imported fruits if the community prioritised local fruits 'In addition to the high costs of importing foreign fruits, it also contributes to a larger carbon footprint and environmental impact due to long transportation distances, high energy consumption for storage and packaging, and increased greenhouse gas emissions,' she said. For that reason, she supported the government's move to maintain zero per cent Sales Tax on basic daily necessities, including local fruits, starting July 1. Zuraini said it would be more appropriate for the government to consider imposing taxes on unhealthy snacks and ultra-processed foods, as these products are among the main contributors to health issues such as obesity, diabetes and cancer in the community. 'When local fruits become a more affordable option compared to snacks and ultra-processed foods, people will be more motivated to choose healthier alternatives, which in turn will increase demand for local fruits. 'In this way, it can help boost domestic production and contribute to the stability of the country's agro-food sector,' she said. A lecturer at the Centre for Dietetic Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, (UiTM) Puncak Alam, Mazuin Kamarul Zaman, said the price of local fruits would remain low because they are not subject to tax burdens, thus encouraging consumers to choose fruits as snacks or daily meals. 'For that, the public is advised to buy local fruits because they are fresher and more affordable than imported fruits,' he said. He said continuous support from various quarters, including schools, the media, and local communities, for local traders and farmers' markets selling fresh agricultural produce is crucial to fostering greater public awareness of the benefits of local fruits. 'Parents are encouraged to set a good example by consistently preparing fruit at home, thus building healthy eating habits among families and raising awareness of the benefits of local fruits to children from a young age,' he said. On June 9, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, through a statement on the implementation of the Sales Tax review, announced that among the basic goods whose Sales Tax remains zero are local fruits. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
an hour ago
- Politics
- Daily Express
Najib's prosecutors must answer for delay in evidence, says Rafizi
Published on: Friday, June 20, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jun 20, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli said from his experience studying and exposing the scandal, the misappropriation of money involving SRC International Sdn Bhd has a clear money trail. PETALING JAYA: Former economy minister Rafizi Ramli today called on the prosecutors in Najib Razak's RM27 million money laundering case to explain why it was taking them so long to prepare the necessary evidence. In a statement, the Pandan MP said Malaysians did not want to see the case end merely because of the prosecutors' failure to prepare evidence, given its connection with the SRC International Sdn Bhd scandal. Advertisement 'I do not understand why the prosecution took so long (since 2019) to prepare the documents necessary for the case. 'From my experience studying and exposing the 1MDB and SRC scandal before this, the misappropriation (of money) involving SRC has a clear money trail,' he said. Earlier in the High Court, Najib was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) in the case involving SRC. Justice K Muniandy said there was nothing to show that the prosecution would be able to proceed with the case for the time being, or proceed within a reasonable time. Advertisement He also said that in the six years since the case was brought against Najib in 2019, it had seen no pursuit of witness testimony, only a plethora of postponements, indicating that the prosecution was not ready. 'Once the accused is charged in court, the charge cannot be hanging over his head for an indeterminate or indefinite period. That would be harsh and illegal,' he said. The decision followed a submission last week by Najib's counsel Shafee Abdullah that it was unfair for his client to wait indefinitely for a fixed trial date, as the prosecution was unable to provide a timeline to gather the exhibits used in the previous SRC trial. Rafizi said he respected Najib's right to request a DNAA, but urged the prosecution to confirm that the Attorney-General's Chambers would refile charges against the former prime minister as soon as possible. 'As an MP, I will follow developments in this case closely to ensure that it does not slip from the public eye,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
an hour ago
- Daily Express
Man claims trial to making offensive FB comments on Nurul Izzah
Published on: Friday, June 20, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jun 20, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: Ruslan Mat Ali at the Sepang sessions court today. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA: A 48-year-old man claimed trial in the Sepang sessions court today to 11 charges of making offensive comments on Facebook against former MP Nurul Izzah Anwar earlier this year. Ruslan Mat Ali, a father of three, pleaded not guilty before judge Ahmad Fuad Othman after the charges were read, Harian Metro reported. Advertisement In making his plea, he claimed he had dropped his handphone while fishing and had no idea how the Facebook comments were made. He was accused of knowingly using his Facebook account to send offensive comments against Nurul Izzah with the intention of annoying others. He was charged with committing the offences between Jan 2 and Feb 26. The charges were framed under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act, punishable by a maximum RM50,000 fine, up to one year's imprisonment, or both, upon conviction. Advertisement Deputy public prosecutor Fadhli Ab Wahab asked the court to fix bail at RM15,000. However, Ruslan, who was unrepresented, sought a lower bail amount, saying he had no income, was divorced, and had to look after three children. The judge granted bail of RM10,000 and fixed July 18 for mention. Ruslan failed to post bail and was placed under remand until the next court date. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
