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Wednesday, March 5, 2025

MACC confirms former PM Ismail Sabri is a suspect in RM170m graft probe, items seized: Cash, gold, other loot

PUTRAJAYA: With bundles of cash in numerous currencies, as well as gold ingots and luxury watches totalling millions uncovered, the question now is how deep the current corruption probe into former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob goes.

At a press conference on the matter at the MACC headquarters here yesterday, Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said MACC was now viewing Ismail Sabri as a suspect and not just a witness.

“In this matter, I can say that he is a suspect in the case.

“Firstly, Section 36 (of the MACC Act) has been issued for asset declarations.

“Secondly, since the money was found with links to him, we will need his statement on the discovery,” said Azam.

Yesterday’s press conference displayed the recent haul of monies found in raids linked to the investigation.

Precious items: The foreign currencies and gold items that were seized being displayed at the press conference at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya. — Bernama

Bundles of cash were arranged and grouped together according to the respective currencies.

Several luxury-brand watches and gold bars were also on display.

On Sunday, the MACC said in a media statement that around RM170mil in foreign currency and 16kg in gold worth nearly RM7mil were seized from “safe houses” following investigations into four senior officers who served under Ismail Sabri.

The foreign currencies seized included Thai baht, Saudi riyal, British pound, Korean won, euro, Swiss francs and Chinese yuan.

Regarding the seized monies, Azam said investigations were underway to trace finances.

“On this matter, our officers from the Forensic and Intelligence divisions will be involved,” he added.

On the current status of investigations, Azam said no Yayasan Keluarga Malaysia bank accounts had been frozen.

“We have yet to freeze the Yayasan Keluarga Malaysia account because it is not an individual account and remains active.

“However, accounts of the former prime minister are being investigated and we will seek explanations from him on all his accounts,” Azam said.

A total of 13 bank accounts with around RM2mil have been frozen as part of the investigations.

Azam said the Commission still needed to record statements from seven or eight other individuals for further action.

He also said Ismail Sabri would be called back in for additional statements, though it would depend on his current health condition.

“It is expected that the session will be conducted this Wednesday.

“The statement recording will be on his asset declaration and the cases currently being investigated,” Azam added.

When asked if Ismail Sabri’s former private secretary Datuk Nazimah Hashim was overseas as claimed by some parties, the MACC chief denied the claims.

Azam said MACC had met her for statement recording as well.

“Her statement has been taken and there has never been an instance where we had to get her statement from overseas. She is still in the country,” he confirmed.

Azam also denied claims that the investigation was politically linked, or a form of selective prosecution.

“Do you think it is selective? I direct the question back to you.

“I don’t think so. I always maintain that we investigate professionally and fairly.

“This is no current instruction from anybody. We act on our own based on information and evidence,” he said.

Four former officials, including two individuals with the title Datuk, who are linked to Ismail Sabri were previously remanded by the MACC on Feb 21, on suspicion of being involved in corruption.

It is understood that several cases are currently under investigation by MACC, including one involving government spending amounting to RM700mil for promotional and publicity purposes.

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Tuesday, March 4, 2025

How good is your Internet?

MCMC’s new Nexus app lets you rate the service

PETALING JAYA: With consumers spending their hard-earned money on quality Internet services from telecommunication providers, the question remains: How can they ensure they are getting what they paid for?

On top of that, issues such as dropped connections, slow download and upload speeds, along with inconsistent Internet coverage throughout a premises leave many wondering whether the service they receive matches their subscription.

Recognising these concerns, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has introduced a new tool to empower consumers with insights into whether they are receiving adequate service.

Dubbed the MCMC Nexus application, the app allows users to assess their Internet speed, functionality and overall connection quality based on the Mandatory Standards for Quality of Service (MSQoS).

Try it now: The beta version of the newly developed MCMC Nexus app that accurately measures the speed and quality of the Internet service on your phone is available for download. — Low Boon Tat/The Star

Currently in its beta version, the app offers comprehensive speed test functionalities, including measurements for download and upload speeds, jitter and ping across 4G, 5G and Wi-Fi networks.

The app will be officially introduced at the Malaysian pavilion of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that is taking place until March 6.

Businesses can also benefit from its route and building survey features.

Route surveys allow users to track connection quality along a specific route while building surveys enable users to determine Wi-Fi signal strength at different locations within a building.

“The information is then relayed in near real-time to both service providers and MCMC, allowing them to monitor service quality.

“This enables proactive action to be taken to address issues,” MCMC commissioner Derek Fernandez (pic) said in an interview.

For best results, users should enable location settings and disable virtual private networks.

When asked how MCMC Nexus differs from other self-conducted internet speed tests, Fernandez explained that test results are directly transmitted to service providers and MCMC via their dashboards.

“The test results serve as indicators, alerting operators and regulators of problems that warrant further attention.

“This allows MCMC and telcos to deploy ground units to survey the affected area and enhance service quality,” he said.

Depending on location and complaint volume, ground teams can arrive within 48 hours to investigate issues.

The test results are displayed using a colour-coded system with green showing that the service meets minimum MSQoS and red, the opposite.

“However, a green indicator does not necessarily mean the service meets the contract standards agreed upon with the provider,” Fernandez clarified.

He emphasised that the app reflects the government and MCMC’s commitment to transparency, fairness and cooperation in the telecommunications sector towards a sustainable and inclusive digital economy.

“People are human beings and assets to businesses – not products,” he stressed.

The app’s development, operation and testing were led by MCMC’s Central Monitoring Division and Geospatial and Data Management Division, collectively known as the MCMC Nexus team.

Following the commission’s approval of the project on Jan 10 last year, Fernandez spearheaded the initiative.

“We had an in-house development team working alongside an external engine provider. More importantly, the app is proprietary to MCMC,” he said, adding that it took one year to develop.

Fernandez also noted that telcos can benefit from the app as it aids network planning, congestion management and service optimisation.

“This tool can save telcos a lot of money since they don’t have to physically go to the ground to check, but instead utilise the data sent through the application to identify potential pain points.”

The beta version of the app is now available for Android users on Google Play Store, while the iOS version is currently in development.

The full version of the app is expected to be released by mid-2025.

Users can provide feedback on the beta testing phase by e-mailing nexus@mcmc.gov.my.

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Sunday, March 2, 2025

Boosting your metabolic rate

INCREASING metabolic rates has been a topic of interest to many, especially among weight-conscious individuals. Understanding metabolism is crucial for obtaining an optimal metabolic rate. Metabolism is the conversion of energy intake i.e., food consumption into products, including energy and waste. Increasing the rate of conversion is believed to burn off body fat. But is this true?

MSU Medical Centre (MSUMC) health screening and wellness specialist Dr Faridah Mohd Zin explains, “Our body consumes energy in four pathways: basal metabolism, food thermogenesis, nonexercise activities thermogenesis (NEAT) and exercise activities thermogenesis (EAT). More than half of the body’s metabolism is consumed as basal metabolism, for the function of vital organs such as the heart, kidneys, brain and many others (about 60%).

The thermic effect of food has the lowest contribution which involves the energy needed to change the food we eat into substances that are “edible” by our cells i.e., glucose (about 10%). Increasing the metabolic rate would mean increasing the energy-burning rate of the body, which theoretically could be increased by optimising the NEAT, EAT, thermic effect of food and body metabolism.

NEAT is simply the energy consumed when performing daily activity. Optimising daily activities such as cooking while standing or pacing around the room while on the phone has been shown to increase metabolic rates. Since these activities will naturally be done every day, enhancing the energy burned through this pathway could be regarded as an opportunity that should not be missed. Moreover, NEAT is found to be associated with improvement in overall health and helps with body fat reduction.

EAT is the body’s way of consuming energy through structured exercise which primarily includes cardiovascular, strengthening, flexibility and balance. Furthermore, each type should have specific criteria in terms of frequency, intensity, time and types (FITT approach) for different objectives of exercise. For example, in maintaining fitness, a total of 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week is recommended, while a longer duration is needed for body weight reduction.

Food thermogenesis contributes the least to body energy consumption. High lean protein and whole foods burn more energy during metabolism compared to other types of food. Although eating high lean protein and whole foods induces higher thermogenesis, hence a higher metabolic rate, the contribution made in the increment of daily body metabolism is still the lowest.

The major factors contributing to the basal metabolic rate include sex, height, age, ethnicity, body composition and genetic factors. While the body compositions are mainly composed of the vital organs, bones, body fat and muscle mass, the latter two are the only factors that can be intentionally changed.

Total body fat is composed of essential and storage fat. Storage fat is mainly deposited under the skin as subcutaneous fat, or around the body organs as visceral fat. The latter has been shown to have a strong correlation with the increment in cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack and stroke. Energy consumption of more than required would be stored in the body as fat. Hence, a negative balance between energy intake and consumption is essential to force our body to use up the storage fat as a source of energy, leading to weight reduction. Since storage fat originates from food intake, adjusting one’s diet is essential for achieving the desired body fat level.

Increasing muscle mass would increase the ability of the body to use up energy. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends regular resistance training exercises as the key to building and keeping muscle. Men and women should participate in muscle-strengthening activities that work the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders and arms) at least two times each week. Examples of musclestrengthening activities include lifting weights, using resistance bands, doing push-ups and some types of yoga. Even everyday activities such as gardening, playing with your kids and carrying groceries can strengthen muscles.

Although resistance training is an important part of a complete exercise regimen, consuming the appropriate amount and type of protein to maintain and build muscles is just as important. On top of that, a healthy balanced diet is crucial to ensure adequate macro- and micro-nutrients needed for a healthy body.

Body metabolism occurs continuously, allowing ongoing opportunities to maximise its effect. Body fat is a way for our body to store unused energy. Hence, optimising the body’s metabolism while eating lower than our body’s daily energy requirement will force our body to burn off energy from the stored body fat. Thus, consistency in maintaining this negative balance in energy will gradually shave off unwanted storage fat.

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