GEORGE TOWN: A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar sent shockwaves as far as Penang, causing tremors that rattled high-rise buildings and left many startled.
Office workers in skyscrapers described feeling sudden dizziness, with some even witnessing objects wobbling around them.
Buletin Mutiara writer M. Thanushalini, 38, was focusing on work on the 47th floor when she suddenly sensed her surroundings swaying.
"I was in the middle of typing an article when I unexpectedly experienced vertigo. At first, I thought I was feeling dizzy as it only lasted a few seconds, so I continued working.
"It was only later, after learning about the earthquake, that I connected the dots. In my eight years here, this is the first time I’ve felt tremors from an earthquake," she said on Friday (March 28).
Penang Economic Planning Unit assistant secretary Zeulqarnain Wahid, 33, also felt the unsettling tremors from his 26th-floor office.
"The Hari Raya decorative lights in our office began to sway, and I felt lightheaded. Several colleagues also mentioned feeling the same, and we realised it was unusual.
"Fortunately, there was no need for evacuation," he said.
Those working in Komtar, Penang's tallest building, also reported feeling the tremors shortly after the earthquake struck at 2.21pm.
According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department, the earthquake occurred approximately 55km southwest of Mandalay, Myanmar, at a depth of 57km.
No tsunami threats were detected in Malaysia following the quake.
A powerful 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, with its epicenter near Mandalay, the country's second-largest city, at a depth of 30 kilometers. This is the strongest earthquake Myanmar has experienced in nearly a century. Experts described the ...
Shining Sun: Honouring Dr Sun at the 100th anniversary of his demise at the Sun Yat Sen Museum in George Town, Penang. (Below) Dr Yee sharing some of the stories he was told while growing up about Dr Sun, at the Sun Yat Sen Museum. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: They are both medical doctors who share the same birthday on Nov 12.
And just like Father of Modern China the late Dr Sun Yat Sen, octogenarian Datuk Seri Dr Yee Thiam Sun had embarked on a path dedicating his life to serving the people.
At 81, Dr Yee continues to work from his clinic in Lebuh Carnavon treating patients and offering consultations at a discounted rate.
The buck does not stop there as the calm and humble Dr Yee also wears many other hats being a Scout leader, JCI (Junior Chamber International) leader, St John Ambulance of Malaysia, Penang commander, UN Youth leader, senior logistician who has been actively involved in humanitarian logistics movements, holding the title of Fellow of LogM (FLogM/Senior Logistician) and the position of honorary president of LogM.
He has also been mentoring and providing opportunities to leaders, especially young ones, through his involvement with Scouts, St John, JCI, SMJKs, SJKCs, and other organisations.
Dr Yee was a King’s Scout (1961) and has received many awards from various organisations, including the government, Scouts and St John.
Datuk Seri Dr Yee Thiam Sun sharing the stories he was told growing up about Dr Sun Yat Sen, during the gathering of the 100th anniversary of his demise at the Sun Yat Sen Museum in George Town, Penang. (March 8, 2025) — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star.
The Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang had also conferred him the Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negeri (DGPN), which carries the title Datuk Seri.
Dr Yee recalled that his late grandfather had served as the Chinese political and revolutionary leader’s secretary while Dr Sun was in Penang.
“While growing up, my mother, whose birthday also fell on the same day as mine and Dr Sun’s, used to tell me about how Dr Sun had dedicated his life to serving and helping the people.
“Her stories had left a lasting impression on me and I too wanted to serve the people in some way or another.
“I adopted Dr Sun’s motto to serve the people by running a clinic and charging less so that people do not feel the pinch.
“To be able to do this, I decided to work on my own because if I worked for others, I would not be able to charge less,” he said when met at the memorial event held at the Sun Yat Sen Museum Penang in Armenian Street to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the passing of Dr Sun.
Dr Yee also said that his maternal grandfather was an active supporter and spent most of his money on Dr Sun’s movement.
“My grandfather was a writer, and so he wrote for Dr Sun too,” he said.
Dr Yee added that despite his age, he wants to continue working to serve, just like his Dr Sun.
Businessman Dr Lawrence Khoo, in his 50s, said his grandfather was an ardent supporter of Dr Sun and had offered assistance in many ways.
“Dr Sun believed in education being of utmost importance and my grandfather as his supporter, started the Chung Ling High School and Penang Chinese Girls’ High School as well as Kwong Wah Yit Poh (a Chinese-language newspaper) here in Penang.
“We still follow his ideology that education is important and that women must be treated as equals.
“This has influenced me and I believe that we all need education and to be treated equally regardless of gender,” he said.
During the gathering, museum custodian Khoo Salma shared that a short video about how the Chinese community from other countries remember Dr Sun will be released on March 12, the actual death anniversary.
“Dr Sun was the towering figure of his time and the first provisional president of the China republic.
“He was a man with a vision who never gave up,” she said.
At the museum, Khoo said they share his (Dr Sun’s) story daily with visitors.
“This keeps his story alive.”
Born in 1866 in Guangdong province in China, Dr Sun studied medicine in Hong Kong and became a doctor.
He started his revolutionary career in 1894 and staged his first uprising in China a year later after forming Xing Zhong Hui in Honolulu.
He travelled around the world in search of support and came to Penang five times from 1906 to 1912.
Often called the “Father of Modern China”, Dr Sun played a key role in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty in 1911.
He was the first provisional president when the Republic of China was established in 1912.
He passed away on March 12, 1925, after battling cancer.
Sun Yat-sen at 100: The revolutionary who shaped modern China
Wednesday, March 12, marks 100 years since the death of Chinese revolutionary and politician Sun Yat-sen, the “Father of the Nation.”
Sun was a Chinese revolutionary leader and political philosopher, often referred to as the "Father of Modern China" for his pivotal role in overthrowing the Qing dynasty and establishing the Republic of China. Born on November 12, 1866, in Cuiheng Village, Guangdong Province, Sun received a Western-style education in Hawaii and later studied medicine in Hong Kong. His exposure to Western ideas and the decline of the Qing dynasty fueled his determination to reform China.
Sun founded the Revive China Society in 1894, advocating for the overthrow of the Qing and the establishment of a modern republic. His revolutionary efforts culminated in the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, which ended over 2,000 years of imperial rule. On January 1, 1912, Sun was inaugurated as the provisional president of the Republic of China, though he soon stepped aside to promote unity.
Sun's political philosophy, the Three Principles of the People (nationalism, democracy, and people's livelihood), became the foundation of Chinese governance. Despite facing numerous challenges, including warlordism and foreign intervention, Sun remained committed to unifying China and modernizing its society. He reorganized the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, or KMT) and formed alliances with the Communist Party of China to strengthen the revolutionary movement.
Sun passed away on March 12, 1925, in Beijing, leaving behind a legacy of revolution and reform. His ideas continue to influence both Taiwan and mainland China, where he is revered as a unifying figure.
Sun Yat-sen expressed his support for Zionism in a letter sent to N.E.B. Ezra, 24 April 1920. (credit: Abraham Schwadron Autograph Collection/National Library of Israel)
The Zionism letter
There was also a fascinating discovery back in 2021, when a letter written by Sun to a Shanghai Jew expressed support for the Zionist cause.
In the letter, dated April 24, 1920, Sun voiced his enthusiastic backing for Zionism, describing it as “one of the greatest movements of the present time.”
"[I] wish to assure you of my sympathy for this movement – which is one of the greatest movements of the present time," Yat-sen's letters reads. "All lovers of Democracy cannot help but support whole-heartedly and welcome with enthusiasm the movement to restore your wonderful and historic nation, which has contributed so much to the civilization of the world and which rightfully deserve [sic] an honorable place in the family of nations."
It was addressed to N.E.B. Ezra, a prominent writer, publisher, and the founder of the Shanghai Zionist Association.
Sun is celebrated for his role in shaping modern Chinese history, and while his endorsement of Zionism has long been documented and the contents of the letter were previously known, the original signed copy has only recently been rediscovered, more than a century after it was written.
nternal records from the National Library indicate that the letter was in its collection since at least 1938, though it was never publicly cataloged or accessible to researchers until now. The exact path by which the letter arrived at the library remains unclear.
“N.E.B. Ezra passed away in 1936. The letter’s arrival by 1938 suggests that Ezra himself may have donated it, or someone else sent it to the library after recognizing its historical importance,” National Library archivist Rachel Misrati stated at the time.
Sun and other Chinese leaders maintained warm relations with Jewish communities and figures, both locally and internationally. Many of these connections were forged during Sun’s years of exile before the Qing dynasty’s fall. A notable example is Morris “Two-Gun” Cohen, a Polish-born Jewish bodyguard and advisor to Sun, who was also a staunch Zionist.
Sun’s support for Zionism was not unique among national leaders of the time. Many prominent political figures expressed similar sentiments, driven by both ideological alignment and practical considerations - in 1946, Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh spent several days staying in the same hotel as David Ben-Gurion in Paris, where the two would often visit each other.
Legacy
Sun Yat-sen is still widely revered in Taiwan as the founding father of the Republic of China (ROC), though his legacy has evolved over time. His status remains prominent in official state narratives, but the way he is perceived has changed, particularly as Taiwanese identity has developed over the years.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of the mainland has also claimed Sun Yat-sen as part of its own revolutionary lineage, portraying him as an early forerunner of communism who opposed imperialism and laid the groundwork for modern China.
GEORGE TOWN: For years, a senior citizen has been riding around the island on a motorcycle, collecting and sorting recyclable materials for a living.
But as his health began failing, he could not deal with it and ended up living with “mountainous” piles of recyclables in his house.
Following public complaints, Penang Island City Council (MBPP) visited the senior citizen’s home in Batu Maung.
It took six truckloads to clear 4,440kg of the waste piled high in the compound of his single-storey house.
More than 20 MBPP workers took five hours on Thursday to remove the rubbish.
Mammoth task: It took over 20 MBPP workers and six trucks to clear the rubbish from the house in Batu Maung. — Photo provided by MBPP
And as per MBPP regulations, the senior citizen was left with a RM2,021.74 bill for the removal, transport and disposal of the waste.
In a statement, MBPP said it had to act because of complaints by those in the neighbourhood.
“The resident said he would sort through the recyclable waste to sell to recycling centres.
“But due to his deteriorating health, managing the accumulated waste became impossible yet the quantity increased daily,” said MBPP.
As it became a breeding ground for pests, MBPP said the Southwest District Health Department issued the senior citizen a notice under Section 8 of the Destruction of Disease-Bearing Insects Act 1975 on Oct 7.
The senior citizen had been given a warning to stop collecting and sorting rubbish, and to clean up his house compound, failing which MBPP would take follow-up action.
In Penang, by-laws were enacted since 2016 to regulate those involved in waste segregation and the collection of recyclable materials.
Detailed look: Santiago speaking at the press conference at the SPAN headquarters in Cyberjaya. — Bernama
Dirty and smelly
SPAN: Raid satellite factories too
CYBERJAYA: The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) has called on the Selangor government and environmental authorities to investigate all businesses or factories involved in recycling plastic waste, specifically in areas affected by pollution, and all areas deemed as high-risk.
The call follows an inquiry into a water pollution incident in July that resulted in a disruption of water supply for a week in 1,140 areas in Selangor, which sourced water from Sungai Kuang, affecting 1,124,781 consumer accounts.
The pollution was traced back to a chemical leak of “poly (methacrylic acid)” into Sungai Kuang, a tributary of the Sungai Selangor River Basin.
SPAN chairman Charles Santiago has appealed to the Selangor government, Selayang Municipal Council and the Environment Department (DOE) to conduct inspections on all auxiliary factories in the Kuang area to determine whether they were dumping waste into tributaries that lead to Sungai Selangor.
Santiago added that while action has been taken against a foreign business operator responsible for the pollution due to illegal plastic recycling activities, there are other factories in the area carrying out similar operations.
“In 2024, SPAN recorded four out of 20 incidents of raw water pollution in Selangor that caused water treatment plants to shut down, including this incident in Sungai Kuang.
“SPAN urges the state government to lead a team composed of local authorities, DOE and Selangor Water Management Authority to carry out inspections in every factory or business premises involved in recycling plastic waste,” Santiago said during a press conference at the SPAN headquarters in Cyberjaya yesterday.
Also present were commission members Derek John Fernandez and Datuk Mohd Azmi Ismail.
On July 23, the media reported that more than 1,000 locations in seven regions in the Klang Valley experienced unscheduled water supply disruptions following the shutdown of four water treatment plants due to incidents of odour pollution in Sungai Kundang and Sungai Sembah, Selangor.
Following this, a Chinese national faced a hefty RM10mil fine and a mandatory prison sentence of up to five years for releasing chemical waste into inland waterways near the industrial area of Jalan Kampung Orang Asli in Kuang, Selangor.
He was later found guilty, sentenced to three months in prison, and fined RM240,000.
Santiago revealed that the foreign-owned company had rented the premises from a local company, which also operated two recycling operations within the same compound.
Investigations showed that the foreign company, which only had a business licence, was illegally conducting plastic recycling activities using polymethyl methacrylate (PMAA), a solvent chemical hazardous to health.
The pollution in Sungai Kuang in July was traced back to an estimated three tonnes of PMAA leaking from the foreign company’s premises into the drains, which then flowed into a tributary called Sungai Lampan Yu.
Santiago said the inquiry also discovered that the local company had illegally diverted Sungai Lampan Yu to run through its compound.
The findings released yesterday underlined that the primary tenant of the implicated premises, possessing a valid business licence, allowed a sub-tenant to operate without the local authority’s knowledge.
This tenant also permitted the sub-tenant to use their approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report without the DOE’s consent.
The report also proposed improvement measures and recommendations, including strengthening law enforcement by conducting physical inspections for all new applications and business licence renewals.
The report also encouraged DOE to undertake regular, targeted inspections to ensure compliance with approved EIA reports.
It also said it is essential to tighten waste discharge controls into rivers and conduct a detailed review of authorities under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.
The Companies Act 1965 should have stricter stipulations when it comes to incorporating companies, particularly those owned by foreigners, according to the report.
Importers must comply with the criteria set in the Plastic Waste Import Licence and conform to the Environmental Quality Act 1974, it added.
The report said importers should also carry out Environmentally Sound Management of plastic waste recycling activities, and stronger supervision and enforcement of Approved Permit holders are necessary to prevent licence misuse.
(From left) EY Shanghai partner Derick Yap, InvestPenang chief executive officer Datuk Loo Lee Lian, Wang, Zairil, Wong, IBM Malaysia general manager Dickson Woo and Shanghai Fengmi Cloud Media Technology Co Ltd chairman Steven Huang launching 2024 Asia-Pacific Semiconductor Summit and Expo in Penang.
STRONG regional partnerships can drive growth, innovation and advancements in the semiconductor sector.
By leveraging each other’s expertise and ecosystems, stakeholders will be better positioned to stay at the forefront of this rapidly evolving industry.
Penang infrastructure, transport and digital committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said this while launching 2024 Asia-Pacific Semiconductor Summit and Expo (APSSE) in Penang.
The recent two-day event held at Setia SPICE Convention Centre in Bayan Lepas, Penang, brought together over 30 exhibitors and 600 delegates from nine countries.
It was organised by Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA) and Penang government, in partnership with Shanghai Fengmi Cloud Media Technology Co Ltd.
Zairil said the semiconductor industry was the backbone of the modern economy, powering everything from smartphones to electric vehicles and machinery.
“There is almost nothing today that doesn’t have a chip in it.
“And with changes brought on by the 4th Industrial Revolution, potential applications would only continue to expand.”
He said the global semiconductor industry was valued at US$544bil (RM2.36tril) in 2023, and this was projected to exceed US$1tril (RM4.34tril) by 2030.
“There are opportunities for everyone, which makes events like APSSE 2024 a good platform for industry players and government to exchange ideas and explore collaborations,” Zairil said in his opening address.
He highlighted the long-standing and successful collaborations between Malaysian and Chinese firms as proof that such regional partnerships could be mutually beneficial.
“Indeed, 2024 marked the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Zairil (front, centre), Wong (second from right) and other delegates observing a virtual reality application by one of the exhibitors.
“Around half of APSSE 2024’s exhibitors are from China.
“Together, we can drive innovation, enhance global supply chain resilience and shape the future of the semiconductor landscape.
“Malaysia is committed to deepening economic ties with China, especially in advancing technologies such as semiconductors, electric vehicles and green energy,” he added.
Zairil also praised various stakeholders for keeping the industry resilient in spite of various challenges in recent years, such as the pandemic and global geopolitical tensions.
“We have long been a key player in the semiconductor value chain, contributing approximately 13% of global assembly, testing and packaging. Of that number, almost half comes from Penang,” he said.
From 2019 to 2023, Zairil revealed that Penang attracted RM170bil of foreign direct investments, which was more than double the preceding decade.
“This showed how much growth was achieved in the last five years.
“We have become a trusted partner of many leading global firms,” he added before touring exhibitor booths in the arena.
MSIA president Datuk Seri Wong Siew Hai said the semiconductor industry was a cornerstone of the local economy, contributing over 40% of total exports in the electronics sector.
“With over 50 years of experience in the industry, a strategic location, strong ecosystem, cost-competitiveness, skilled talent and business-friendly government, we have been able to attract billions of ringgit in investments from tech giants across the world.
“But competition is intense and we must keep pace.
“Government initiatives like the National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS) and New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030 will allow us to move the industry into higher value areas.
“MSIA recently launched the Advanced Technology Equipment Cluster (ATEC) to consolidate expertise to meet ever changing demands and keep us as a market leader,” said Wong.
He noted that APSSE 2024 was the first time many of the participating Chinese firms had exhibited outside their country.
He said most people took it for granted, but everything they use had semiconductor components of varying complexities inside.
“Mobile phones and smart TVs are the most obvious examples. Other things like your air-conditioner remote, ceiling fans, water heater and even the thermal flask you use to make a cup of coffee, need such components to operate.
“An electric vehicle has over 3,000 semiconductors.
“It’s a key component of green energy. If you live in a rural area without running power, the solar panels that allow you to power things also need semiconductors.
“Go to any hospital and all the medical devices used to test you have lots of semiconductors inside.
“Global e-commerce would not be possible either without these tiny chips.
“The only difference is that we’re constantly coming up with newer materials that allow each piece to perform more functions at a lower cost,” Wong added.
ACM Research (Shanghai) Inc chairman Dr David Wang Hui said such globalisation would continue to be a fundamental driving force for the industry.
“Many Chinese companies are interested in coming to Malaysia.
“This would not only bring investment and create local jobs, but also drive innovation, technology, product quality and better manufacturing systems,” he added.
The APSSE event featured a series of panel talks, with topics on “Global Semiconductor Outlook”, “Transitioning from Local to International Outbound Investments”, “Artificial Intelligence”, “Asia-Pacific Semiconductor Strategies”, “Advancing ESG Through Innovations”, “Intellectual Property”, “Advanced Packaging” and “Strategies for STEM Talent Development”.
Business matching sessions and tours of several industrial sites were also held.
