01/10/2024

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Civil servants urged to embrace new salary scheme PORT DICKSON: A small group of civil servants remains hesitant to opt for the Public Service Remuneration System, which will replace the Malaysian Remuneration System effective Dec 1, said Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) president Datuk Dr Adnan Mat. “Some are hesitant but the principle is simple, namely salary increases. There are no reductions, although some groups may get more, some may get an equivalent amount and some will remain in the same range. “The important thing is that the new scheme brings no losses, so there is no need to hesitate. Just sign and enjoy better pay,“ he said after officiating at a World Environmental

Prime Minister’s Dept to face budget cuts

Health Day celebration here on Sunday. He said the new system is seen as an improvement over the old system, which has been in use since 2002, and if there are shortcomings in the service scheme, Cuepacs would continue negotiating with the government through the Public Service Department. – Bernama

pack and a few other items. Meat was available at RM26 per kg. It is much cheaper than what I find in stores and I hope we can see more events such as this in the future.” Che Embun Musa, 75, said she travelled from Kuala Ketil with her daughter to purchase goods at discounted prices. “At first, I came just to have a look but in the end, I bought many items because the prices were too good to resist.” – Bernama LABUAN: The allocation for the Prime Minister’s Department is expected to see a reduction in Budget 2025, in line with efforts to practise prudent spending, said its minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa. “We have presented our proposed budget for the department to the Finance Ministry. We will know this month the exact allocation we have been granted,“ she said after officiating at the Labuan Annual Borneo Arts Festival closing ceremony at the Financial Park Convention Hall on Sunday. She said the department has been informed of a reduction in its allocation aimed at cost cutting but emphasised that key socioeconomic development programmes would not be compromised. “The department has submitted a list of priorities to the Finance Ministry to ensure the smooth implementation of socioeconomic programmes next year.” She commended the success of the festival, which is a tourism-driven event that received overwhelming response from participants across several states. “The festival could become a long-term tourism product for Labuan. However, improvements are necessary to attract more visitors.” Zaliha highlighted the government’s flexible and business-friendly policies for foreign investors, particularly in Labuan. “We welcome foreign investors to explore opportunities on the island but we need to address long-standing utility issues before significant investments can take place. “Before we can invite foreign investors, it is essential to resolve the challenges surrounding utilities, such as water and power supply, to ensure they can meet demand.“ She added that the utilities issues are expected to be resolved by 2028. She also revealed plans for a visit to China next week, in which she will engage with potential investors interested in exploring opportunities in Labuan. – Bernama Ministry offers educational funding for students BANGI: A total of 2,500 new students for the 2024/2025 academic session across the country have been selected to receive educational funding under the Siswa Sulung 2.0 programme. Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the programme was introduced to ensure children from eKasih aid recipient families or those living in extreme poverty were given adequate opportunities to further their education. “We expect around 8,000 students from Year One to Year Four to benefit from the programme. “We offer scholarships and they only need to pay for their residential college fees. “Everything else is free,“ he said after attending the Madani campus tour programme “In Person with Doc Zam: Tips and Tricks for Freshies” at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia here on Sunday. – Bernama

Festival to raise awareness on authentic Indian dances

o New event aims to highlight history and meaning behind classical

performances and showcase diversity

GEORGE TOWN: Bharatanatyam, odissi, karakattam and kathakali are Indian classical dances that are well known in the country, especially among the Indian community, as they are often performed at events. People of other ethnicities are also drawn to the uniqueness of the dances, which are taught at certain institutions, such as the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage. The academy even has a few Malay instructors teaching bharatanatyam , which is one of the oldest Indian classical dances, that is not easy to learn. Indian classical dance performances are known for their storytelling through eye movements, hand gestures and rhythmic footwork. Over the years, much like the cultural dances of other ethnicities, they have not been exempt from the trend of being mixed with modern styles. However, the performances featured in the Indian Dance Festival at Komtar here recently adhered to the authenticity of the classical dances of several Indian ethnic groups. The festival, organised by the Penang Indian Film Producers Association and supported by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry and Tourism Malaysia, aimed to raise awareness on the history and meaning behind Indian classical dances and showcase their diversity while retaining their authenticity, Bernama reported. Event organiser Viknes Perrabu said: “It is important to preserve and maintain the original dance forms of the Indian community. Indian culture is rich with various dances from different ethnic groups. “Indian dance can be divided into classical and traditional styles. The most well-known classical styles are bharatanatyam, odissi, mohiniattam, kathak, kathakali,

The festival attracted an audience of over 300 from various racial backgrounds, who were captivated by the dancers. – PIC COURTESY OF PENGUSAHA PERFILEMAN INDIA PULAU PINANG

kuchipudi and manipuri , most of which are heavily influenced by Hindu religious elements and stories from the ancient Sanskrit text Natyashastra .” The Indian classical dances learned by members of other ethnic groups do not incorporate religious elements but the authenticity and uniqueness of the dance movements are preserved. The festival attracted an audience of over 300 from various racial backgrounds, who were captivated by the dance movements, accessories and costumes worn by the performers.

The dances were presented by Malaysians belonging to popular groups from Penang and Kedah, such as GDA Dancers, Vaanavil Dancers and Eswary Dancers. The excitement of the audience was evident during the karakattam performance, when the dancers balanced pots on their heads while performing to the rhythm, and the mayilaattam (peacock dance) performance, when the dancers mimicked the graceful movements of a peacock. Other traditional dances, such as kuchipudi, oyilattam, mohiniattam and kollatham, also enlivened the festival.

Madani sale offers essential items at 30% discount SIK: About 2,000 residents here enjoyed a 30% discount on essential items during the Kedah Regional Development Authority Jualan Kasih Madani event yesterday at the Development Authority Zone 4 office. “People started queuing at 8am. Within three hours, all essential items were sold out. the Development Authority to ensure the success of the events this year. We are offering 53 different types of goods. “The events could support entrepreneurs and alleviate the cost of living burden of residents in the surrounding area.”

“Our combo sales (featuring chicken, cooking oil and sugar) were 35% cheaper. We had 200 packs available at RM15 and during happy hour, we sold 100 packs of the same items for RM10.” He said this was the second time the event had been held and two more are set to take place before the end of the year. “A total of RM150,000 has been allocated by

Its general manager Ismasuhaimi Shariff said the event, held in collaboration with the Kedah Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, was aimed at assisting those affected by current economic challenges.

Daud Md Amin, 67, said he found out about the event from a neighbour and arrived with his wife at 10am. “I managed to buy 5kg of rice, a happy hour