Daughter drains elderly woman's life savings of $130,000 from their joint accounts - STOMP

An elderly woman accumulated $180,000 in savings after a lifetime of hard work, only to lose $130,000 to her youngest daughter.

Left with just over $200 in her bank accounts, Mdm Chen has had no choice but to lodge a police report.

The 73-year-old woman told Shin Min Daily News that she had opened three joints accounts with her youngest daughter in May 2021.

She said: "My husband and I worked hard all our lives for these savings. The money was previously in our couple's joint account before being transferred into these three accounts."

On June 26, 2023, Mdm Chen discovered that one of the accounts was left with $180 instead of the $85,000 it was supposed to have.

Feeling something amiss, she checked the other two accounts as well.

She found one account completely emptied of its $19,999 sum, while the other account had gone from having $76,174 to $61.

Mdm Chen said: "I saved about $180,000 saved and previously withdrew $50,000, so there should be $130,000 remaining. But now, I'm left with only over $200."

After investigating, Mdm Chen realised that all the money had been transferred by her youngest daughter.

She subsequently lodged a police report, but was told that nothing could be done as the money had been in joint accounts.

"The police suggested that I get a lawyer, but that will cost a lot of money," added Mdm Chen, who was unable to recall why she had opened the joint accounts with her daughter.

Mdm Chen also called her daughter.

"She admitted to using my money and said she would pay it back to me slowly, but I don't know how she is going to do that," said Mdm Chen.

Reporters tried to contact Mdm Chen's daughter for two consecutive days, but to no avail. When they got in touch with Mdm Chen's son-in-law, he said: "Don't write nonsense."

Mdm Chen's eldest daughter, 43-year-old Ms Zhuo, said her parents have lost their life savings.

According to Ms Zhuo, her mother worked as a dishwasher for 30 years while her father operated a boat.

She added: "My father was in poor health a few years ago and is currently bedridden. I didn't expect my sister to take their money."

The family's relationship with Mdm Chen's youngest daughter deteriorated following the incident and she has since stopped replying to Mdm Chen's messages.

Mdm Chen believes that her youngest daughter and son-in-law are facing problems with their business, a frozen seafood company which they started in 2021.

She said: "I requested for transfer records from the bank and discovered that my youngest daughter has been transferring money to her company's employees, suppliers and even directly to her husband since June 2021.

"In fact, even the registration fee for her marriage this year is my money."

Ms Zhuo said that things have been amiss ever since her youngest sister started dating her now-husband in 2021.

She explained: "His own divorce procedures had yet to be completed when he was with my sister. Afterwards, he did not come to see my parents so we do not know him well and don't have a good impression of him."

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2023-07-24 07:17:35Z
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Malaysia's ruling coalition goes on offensive against Kedah leader in battle to win state - The Straits Times

ALOR SETAR – Malaysia’s ruling coalition has painted a large bull’s eye on the back of Kedah’s caretaker chief minister Sanusi Md Nor, as it ramps up efforts to win back the northern state in the Aug 12 state polls.

Sanusi, from the federal opposition alliance Perikatan Nasional (PN), was last week charged in court with sedition for insulting the Selangor ruler, and is due for questioning over alleged corruption involving mining activities in the state.

He alleged that his popular TikTok account, with some 540,000 followers, was mysteriously blocked for three days in mid-July and then unblocked again, with the Home Minister and Minister of Communications and Digital saying they had no hand in it.

These developments come just ahead of the Aug 12 polls involving six states. Sanusi, 48, is the election director for PN, which is led by two major Malay-Muslim parties.

Despite these distractions, PN and Sanusi are set to put up a tough fight to defend Kedah.

Sanusi became the state’s Menteri Besar (chief minister) after the Pakatan Harapan (PH) state government was toppled in 2020 following a major shift of alliances among state politicians.

To boost its support among Malay voters in Malaysia, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling coalition led by PH badly needs to wrest Kedah back.

But PH and its key ally Barisan Nasional (BN) may face an uphill battle. Many Kedahans whom The Straits Times spoke to sang praises of the blunt-speaking Sanusi.

At political rallies, his shoot-from-the-hip style and thick Kedah accent resonate with heartlanders in the state, which is known as Malaysia’s “rice bowl state” as it has the highest rice output in the country.

Stock trader Abdul Rahim, 35, who works part-time as a private-hire driver, said Sanusi is “the best Menteri Besar”.

“He builds new roads and he goes down to the ground when there are floods. He may be brash, but we don’t mind it,” he told ST.

Of the six states headed for the polls in August, PN controls the state governments of Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan. Mr Anwar’s PH-BN alliance controls the other three state assemblies – Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.

An influential figure, Sanusi has accused Mr Anwar’s federal administration of launching investigations against him to curtail his speeches.

“In Malaysia, it looks like we cannot say anything. We have a government that is afraid and using the police to stop our speech,” he told reporters after his court appearance on Tuesday.

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2023-07-23 21:00:00Z
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Malaysia domestic trade minister Salahuddin Ayub dies aged 61 - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub died on Sunday (Jul 23) following surgery for a brain haemorrhage. He was 61.

This was confirmed by his daughter Fatiha Salahuddin in a Facebook post.

“We are saddened to inform that the head of our family, Salahuddin Ayub died at 9.23 pm on July 23, 2023,” she posted.

Salahuddin’s press secretary, Syakirin Husnal, said in a statement that Salahuddin died at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital (HSB) in Alor Setar, Kedah.

He said Salahuddin’s remains would be taken to his mother’s home in Kampung Serkat (Kopi Tenggek), Tanjung Piai, and that the minister’s office will provide further information regarding funeral arrangements soon.

He added that the deceased's family would like to express their utmost appreciation and gratitude to everyone for their prayers and condolences.

“They also wish to thank all the doctors and staff of the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, Alor Setar, Kedah,” he said.

On Saturday, Syakirin said the minister was taken to the emergency ward of the HSB at about 10.15pm on Friday after suffering from nausea and vomiting, before being diagnosed with a brain haemorrhage by a specialist.

Salahuddin leaves behind his wife, Fatimah Taha, and six children.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim described the demise of Salahuddin as a huge loss for him, personally, and his family.

Admitting to being affected by the sad news, the prime minister said that the services of Salahuddin, who was also the Amanah deputy president, could not be materially repaid.

“He was known for being of an esteemed character, be it to his friends or foes. A strong figure who works and is very obedient to trust and responsibility.

“Rest now, my friend,” he posted on Facebook on Sunday.

CHAMPION OF THE PEOPLE

Born on Dec 1, 1961, in Tanjung Piai, Pontian, Johor, Salahuddin will be best remembered as a champion of the people on the issue of the rising cost of living by introducing various initiatives known as 'Payung RAHMAH'.

Salahuddin was no stranger to national politics and succeeded in making a name for himself until he was appointed Deputy President of Parti Amanah Party (Amanah).

He was also Pontian branch Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) secretary from 1981 to 1983, before being actively involved in politics after joining PAS in 1983.

In PAS, he rose through the ranks, from being the Pontian PAS vice-president (1983-1987) and to being overall party vice-president from 2009 to 2015.

In the 2004 general election, PAS nominated him to contest the Kubang Kerian parliamentary constituency, which he won and served for two terms.

However, Salahuddin exited PAS and joined Amanah on Aug 31, 2015, after an internal conflict between PAS members at the time.

The Amanah deputy president then won the Pulai parliamentary seat and the Simpang Jeram state seat in the 14th general election in 2018 on a Pakatan Harapan (PH) ticket. He was appointed Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister before the PH government collapsed in February 2020.

The Johor PH chairman defended the seats in the Johor state election in March 2022 and the 15th general election on Nov 19 last year before being appointed Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living.

During his tenure, Salahuddin implemented various initiatives under the Payung RAHMAH brand to help people face various challenges related to the rising cost of living, especially when the country and the economy were recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Salahuddin was a minister always seen on the ground to ensure a sufficient supply of goods and his tireless efforts succeeded in stabilising the prices of basic goods while also reducing the effects of inflation on consumers.

"Until the end of his life, he was concerned and continued to fight for the well-being of the people. The country lost a great leader," said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in a Facebook post.

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2023-07-23 16:03:13Z
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25m stretch of road collapses in Iskandar Puteri; probe to determine cause - The Straits Times

ISKANDAR PUTERI – A 25m-long stretch of road between Forest City and the Tanjung Pelepas highway in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, collapsed on Sunday.

Iskandar Puteri Fire and Rescue department operations commander Hairulnizam Mohd Noh said his unit received a call about the incident at around 2.09pm.

“Seven firemen were deployed to the scene and, upon arrival, found that about 25m of the main road and bridge had collapsed,” he said in a statement.

“Once we confirmed that the area was safe, we handed the matter over to the police for traffic control at the area,” he added.

Iskandar Puteri Police Assistant Commissioner Rahmat Ariffin confirmed the incident and said no injuries were reported.

In a statement, developer Country Garden Pacificview said Forest City’s project employees and relevant technical personnel rushed to the scene for emergency action.

“Forest City immediately got in touch with the relevant government departments for setback management and cause investigation,” it said.

It added that it would conduct a thorough inspection of the entire bridge and actively cooperate with government departments “to carry out the necessary action and procedures to ensure the safety of users”.

It added that updates on the matter, including construction recovery, would be posted on Forest City’s official social media accounts. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

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2023-07-23 12:35:00Z
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Twenty-five metre stretch of road collapses in Iskandar Puteri - The Star Online

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1. Twenty-five metre stretch of road collapses in Iskandar Puteri  The Star Online
2. 25m stretch of road collapses in Iskandar Puteri; probe set to determine cause  The Straits Times
3. View Full coverage on Google News

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2023-07-23 11:22:00Z
2274453510

Cambodia votes as Hun Sen near-guaranteed election win - CNA

PHNOM PENH: Cambodians voted on Sunday (Jul 23) in an election that longtime leader Hun Sen is all but guaranteed to win as he looks to secure his legacy by handing the reins to his eldest son.

The 70-year-old former Khmer Rouge cadre has ruled since 1985 and faces no real contest in this vote, with opposition parties banned, challenger candidates forced to flee and freedom of expression stifled.

His Cambodian People's Party (CPP) is likely to retain all 125 seats in the lower house, prolonging his grip on power and paving the way for a dynastic succession some critics have compared to North Korean politics.

The only serious opposition party was disqualified on a technicality in the run-up to the polls and it will be a surprise if any of the 17 other small, poorly funded parties win seats.

Hun Sen cast his ballot in the capital Phnom Penh shortly after polling stations opened at 7am (midnight GMT), according to AFP journalists at the scene.

More than 9.7 million people are registered to vote in the seventh election since the United Nations first sponsored polls in 1993 after years of conflict - including the genocidal Khmer Rouge - left the country devastated.

Over the last 30 years, what hopes the international community might have had for a vibrant multi-party democracy in Cambodia have been flattened by the juggernaut of Hun Sen's rule.

The veteran prime minister has begun to look to the future, saying that he would hand over to his son, four-star general Hun Manet - possibly even in the coming weeks.

The 45-year-old scion led the final CPP rally in Phnom Penh ahead of polling day, telling a raucous crowd on Friday that it was "victory day" for the country.

Critics would disagree, and rights groups have condemned the upcoming election.

On the eve of voting, a 17-strong coalition - including the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) - characterised the polls as being of "profound concern".

"The upcoming electoral exercise indicates a notable absence of transparency, fairness and inclusivity in the electoral process," the coalition said in a statement issued on Saturday.

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2023-07-23 01:51:01Z
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Inside Lombok's secretive gold mining community, slowly suffering from poisoning - CNA

Then, in Lombok, a new danger emerged. Informal gold mining started almost 15 years ago after a mining company found “large deposits” on the island, and locals spotted an opportunity, said environmental health specialist Yuyun Ismawati.

It has been estimated that 22,000 people in Lombok depend on small-scale gold mining — done on land they do not own — to earn a living. But until now, the small-scale mining activities have been illegal, Yuyun added.

Lombok’s miners are normally secretive about their work, but Faturahman agreed to share his story. Born on the island, he used to be a fisherman, “but it was so hard to get a good income”. So he became a miner.

Just half a gramme of gold is worth 300,000 rupiah (S$26) to him, which is more than twice the amount he earned daily as a fisherman.

Globally, around 20 per cent of gold production comes from informal miners like him. But their use of mercury complicates matters. And illness in Lombok’s mining communities has largely flown under the radar of medical authorities.

WATCH: The real price of Indonesia’s mercury-poisoned gold (46:18)

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2023-07-22 22:00:00Z
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