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Saturday, July 5, 2025

Online scams becoming ‘silent killers’, police say

 

ACP Abdul Rozak (centre) launching the poster. With him are Teoh (right) and Hoe. — Photos: ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star

THE growing menace of online scams have become impossible to ignore, with police describing them as “silent killers”, where the crimes not only drain victims financially but also leave lasting emotional scars and shatter livelihoods.

Investigation officer Inspector Muhammad Hyzreen Mohd Zain said such scams could wipe out victims’ savings and “subsequently destroy their lives.”

“Scams don’t just take your money, they destroy futures. They’re silent killers,” he said during his speech at Scam Awareness Talk + Say No to Scam campaign held at a mall in Farlim, Air Itam, Penang.

He said such crimes could also tarnish the reputation of enforcement agencies and erode public trust when victims mistakenly believe authorities failed to act.

He urged the public to practise digital vigilance to prevent falling prey to such schemes.

Insp Muhammad Hyzreen urges the public to practise digital vigilance.Insp Muhammad Hyzreen urges the public to practise digital vigilance.

Insp Muhammad Hyzreen stressed that many victims unknowingly allow scammers access to their financial information simply by downloading suspicious apps or clicking unverified links.

He advised the public to avoid sharing personal or banking information over the phone, even if the caller claimed to be from a government agency or financial institution.

He said scammers would often impersonate officials to gain trust and extract confidential data.

Insp Muhammad Hyzreen also reminded attendees to be wary of investment offers that promise unusually high returns.

“Always verify with Bank Negara or official sources before committing to any investment platform,” he said.

He encouraged the public to report any suspicious activity immediately to the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997, or contact the nearest police station for guidance.

The talk, organised as part of the campaign, aimed to educate the public on emerging fraud tactics and reinforce the importance of community vigilance in combating financial crime.

Organised by 30 Lions Clubs from Penang with collaboration from police, the event also saw the launch of the Call 997 poster.

Event organising chairman Teoh Shaw Jhee said the club had printed 2,000 copies of A2 posters which will be put up around Penang.

“The posters will be placed in public areas such as markets, schools, malls and high-rise buildings,” Teoh said in his speech.

Teoh said cyber and financial scam cases were now a threat to the public, and as such, it was important to raise awareness.

He said Lions Clubs could help police raise awareness of scams.

He said the posters was also to inform and educate the public on who to call if they faced the threat of scams in their daily life.

“Awareness is our first line of defence, calling 997 is the right way when you risk being scammed,” he added.

Present during the programme were George Town OCPD Asst Comm Abdul Rozak Muhammad, his deputy Supt Lee Swee Sake and District Governor Lions 308 B2 Don Hoe.

ACP Abdul Rozak, who launched the poster, praised Lions Clubs for organising the event and described the initiative as a noble effort.

“While we remain fully committed to combating corruption, success requires the collective support and cooperation of all stakeholders,” he said in his speech.

He advised the public not to be easily misled or duped by attractive offers from unknown individuals online.

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Thursday, July 3, 2025

Chinese researchers set new world record for flat-top pulsed magnetic field

 

Researchers perform an engineering test in Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province on February 8, 2025. Photo: VCG

A Chinese research team has set a new record for a flat-top pulsed magnetic field (FTPMF) with a whopping 71.36 tesla, further consolidating the nation's international leadership in this field.

The achievement made on Friday by the research team led by Li Liang, a professor from the Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, surpassed the research team's own previous world record of a 64-tesla FTPMF set in 2018, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday, citing a statement from the university. 

High magnetic fields are among the most critical extreme conditions in modern scientific experiments, offering unique opportunities for discovering new phenomena and uncovering fundamental laws. 

Researchers worldwide have been highly active in conducting experiments under high magnetic field conditions, creating numerous original and significant breakthroughs in fields such as physics, chemistry, materials science and biology. 

Flat-top pulsed magnetic fields represent a cutting-edge direction in high magnetic field technology. With the combination of the advantages of both steady and pulsed magnetic fields, they deliver high magnetic strength with sustained stability, enabling unique experimental conditions for research such as nuclear magnetic resonance. 

To overcome challenges in magnet structural stability and precise control of high currents under strong electromagnetic forces, the research team has achieved breakthroughs in both materials and control systems. As a result, they set a new world record with a 71.36-tesla flat-top pulsed magnetic field featuring high stability (0.39 percent stability over 12.11 milliseconds), surpassing the current international level by 19 percent. 

Tesla is the unit of magnetic induction or magnetic flux density. One tesla is equivalent to 20,000 times the Earth's magnetic induction. The stronger the magnetic induction, the greater its potential in applications. 

The high pulsed magnetic field experimental facility is a major national scientific infrastructure project developed by Huazhong University of Science and Technology. It provides experimental environments featuring strong magnetic fields, ultra-low temperatures and high static pressure. 

To date, researchers from over 141 universities and research institutes across over 30 countries and have completed more than 2,000 projects at the Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, China News Service reported. 

Among the five key indicators of high pulsed magnetic field facilities, the Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center ranks second in the world with a peak field strength of 94.88 tesla, and leads the world in terms of other key metrics such as flat-top magnetic field strength, pulse repetition rate, measurement precision and magnet lifespan, according to China News Service. - Global Times


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Powering down to keep the lights on

 

Sigh of relief: Habsah showing her electricity bill at her house in Gertak Sanggul. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star

Many using less electricity as new tariffs loom

PETALING JAYA: Many consumers are taking steps to manage their electricity bills with the implementation of the new tariff structure by the government.

For example, many homeowners are considering having solar photo­voltaic (PV) systems installed on their roofs, while others are looking at the “Time of Use” scheme, which offers lower rates during off-peak hours, now defined as starting from 10pm to 2pm on weekdays, and the entire day on weekends.

Under the new tariff announced by the Energy Commission, domes­tic consumers using less than 1,000kWh (kilowatt-hours) per month will also continue to enjoy subsidies, effective yesterday.

ALSO READ: Brace for price hikes across the board, consumers told

In Johor Baru, sales operations executive Ereena Karen Lim Abdullah, 47, and her husband are thinking about rooftop PV.

“My husband and I are thinking of installing solar panels, but we are unsure whether it is possible to do so at our apartment,” she said, adding that she would raise the matter with the building management soon.

“I used to pay around RM100 for electricity monthly but it had crept up to RM150 even though it is just me and my husband living in our apartment without much changes to our routine.”

ALSO READ: ‘We may have no choice but to hike prices’

Events planning manager Evelyn Lee, 34, said she was hoping to apply for the newly expanded Time of Use (ToU) tariff as soon as possible since it matches her lifestyle.

“My husband and I are seldom at home during the day, so it’s perfect for us since we are typically home only by 10pm.

“We also like to spend our weekends at home together, just relaxing with our dogs with the air conditioning on, so it makes sense,” said Lee, who lives in Puchong.

CLICK TO ENLARGECLICK TO ENLARGE

In Seremban, Tong Sim Old Folks Home secretary Jessie Chan said they had already been cutting back usage before the new tariffs.

“The 18 elderly and special needs folks at the centre have been told to cut down (on their use), resulting in our monthly bill going down slightly from the over RM400 previously,” she said.

Ramesh Patel, who runs the Vivekananda Home in Rembau, has also told the children under his care to start conserving.

“We went from switching on four lights throughout the night previously, to only one now to further reduce the monthly bill which totals about RM800.”

Retiree N. Manimaran from Perak said he would start consolidating his chores.

“We now do the laundry only once every two days, while clothes are ironed once per week. I’m also cutting down the hours the air conditioner is on from six to four,” said the 67-year-old.

Father-of-four Wan Fahmi Ahmad said getting his household to change their habits would be difficult as they do not know how the new tariff structure would affect their bill.

“We are used to using around 1,500kWh to 2,000kWh, and paying over RM1,000 every month, so convincing them will be hard, especially if our bill increases only by a small amount,” the 51-year old pilot said.

Wan Fahmi, who lives in Putrajaya, added that he would consider the ToU scheme if his bill spiked significantly.

Likewise, Halimatul Abdul Adib, 42, is also adopting a wait-and-see stance.

“I don’t think I will see any significant rise in my bill, though I will wait for a few billing cycles so I can make a better comparison before doing anything.”

In George Town, pensioner Habsah Sulaiman, 70, said the new tariff helped her family.

“I usually use under 300kWh a month or an average of RM150, so it is good that the government is keeping the subsidy,” said Habsah, who lives with her son and his family, including three children.

Technician Kevin Wang, 26, said while the new tariff would support efforts to reduce carbon emissions, affordability remains a key concern.

“I am all for a greener future. But any transition must be gradual, especially for middle-income families like mine.

“The government or utility providers can introduce targeted rebates or energy-efficiency incen­­tives to ease the impact.”

The Light Hotel general manager Raj Kumar said it was too early to predict whether the new tariff would impact room rates.

“We are also actively exploring cost-saving measures such as solar PV,” he said, while stressing the importance of finding a balanced solution that protects both consumers and businesses.

“It is a tough time for everyone, and we do not believe in simply passing every cost to the customer,” Raj said.

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