05/03/2025

WEDNESDAY | MAR 5, 2025

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Life-giving sacrifice inspired by power of love

Goldsmith shop robbed by trio

SEREMBAN: Three men are believed to have been involved in an armed robbery at a supermarket in Bandar Baru Nilai near here on Monday. Nilai police chief Supt Abdul Malik Hasim said two men entered the premises while the other waited in a car. He said police were alerted to the robbery by a call from a woman. “Initial investigations found that the robbery occurred at 8.30pm. One of the suspects is believed to have had a firearm. No casualties were reported in the incident and the amount of damage is still being assessed.” He said those with information can contact Nilai police at 06-790-4222. Several video recordings of the robbery are being widely spread on social media, showing two masked men robbing a goldsmith shop inside the supermarket. – Bernama Pakistani caught at Thai border KOTA BHARU: The army has detained a Pakistani man for trying to slip through the Malaysia-Thailand border in Tanah Merah. The Second Infantry Division Command said the illegal immigrant was detained at 1.20am on Monday when an army operations team detected two men riding a motorcycle towards an unauthorised entry point along Sungai Golok on the Malaysian side of the border. “Both tried to escape but the team managed to detain one while the other managed to escape to Thailand by crossing Sungai Golok.” The man claimed that he has been working in Penang since 2024 but there was no record of him entering Malaysia legally in his international passport and his journey out of Malaysia was managed by the man who escaped. He was found to be carrying a tourist pass to Thailand that was valid until May 7, a phone and several personal effects. The motorcycle is believed to belong to the man who escaped. The seized items were valued at RM5,959 and the man was handed over to the Tanah Merah district police office for further investigation under Section 5(2) of the Immigration Act 1959/63. – Bernama MACC signs MoU with Mongolian agency KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC) of Mongolia to strengthen strategic cooperation in addressing corruption. MACC said the MoU was signed at the IAAC Building, Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia on Tuesday by its chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki and IAAC director and commissioner general Dashdavaa Zandraa, with a focus on sharing information, experience and best practices. “This MoU is not just a formal agreement but an important step in the effort to address corruption effectively through capacity building and strengthening cooperation in investigations. “No country can tackle the issue of corruption alone. International collaboration is vital.” The MACC delegation paid a courtesy visit to Mongolia’s attorney-general Jargalsaikhan Banzragch at his office on Wednesday to strengthen bilateral relations and explore cooperation opportunities between MACC and enforcement institutions in the country. “The MACC delegation also had the opportunity to visit the new IAAC Training Centre, which serves as a hub for training and capacity building for anti-corruption officers at the regional level.” – Bernama

o Interracial couple shares story of decision by wife to donate kidney and relieve suffering of spouse with debilitating disease

Ű BY DEEPALAKSHMI MANICKAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING couple Steven Kok and Sunita Selvaraju stand as a testament to the old saying “love knows no boundaries”, displaying the power of love and overcoming life’s challenges together. Originally from Petaling Jaya in Selangor, the couple now resides in the United States. They said their journey took a difficult turn when Steven, 50, was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) in 2007. PKD is a condition in which clusters of cysts grow in the body, mainly in the kidneys. Over time, the cysts may cause the kidneys to enlarge and stop functioning. Although the disease was manageable at first, by 2018, Steven’s kidney function had deteriorated to the point that he needed a transplant. The waiting list for a kidney in the United States is long but Steven did not have to wait as Sunita, 48, stepped forward without hesitation to save her ailing husband. “We have the same blood type and I just knew I had to do it. I did not want to see him get sicker. If you can save a loved one’s life, why would you not?” she asked. After multiple tests, they were found to be a perfect match and on April 23, 2019, Sunita donated her left kidney to Steven. Now, Steven leads a healthier life and the couple hopes to inspire others to consider organ donation. Their love story, like many others, is a mix of bittersweet challenges as they persevered against negative perceptions while embracing their uniqueness. “People are often surprised to see us as a couple because he is a Chinese man and I am an Indian woman. This is a rare mix,” she said. Their love story began 34 years ago when they met at a church activity. Steven said: “I thought she looked lovely and it was love at first sight for me. But my wife will tell a different story.” Sunita was drawn to his friendly nature, intelligence and sense of humour. “He was a good friend to me and my siblings,” she said. Sunita attributes the support of their JAYA: Interracial

Steven now leads a healthier life and the couple hopes to inspire others to consider organ donation. – PIC COURTESY OF STEVEN KOK

name. It reflects both our cultures,” she said. Despite having the support of their families, the couple has experienced their share of prejudices. “A younger couple stared at us while we were eating in Pudu,” recalled Steven. “A student from Hong Kong once told me he did not like Chinese people marrying someone with darker skin,” said Sunitha. Steven said attitudes and perceptions towards interracial couples are slowly improving. “I have seen more interracial marriages in my circle recently,” he said. “Love should never be limited by race. What matters is how you care for each other, support each other and grow together,” Sunita said. Steven and Sunita’s journey is marked by cultural acceptance, unwavering support and even a lifesaving organ donation, serving as a powerful testament to the strength of their bond.

families as an important factor in their journey, recalling how her own mother had expressed concerns about how Steven’s family would react to and accept her, especially given her different appearance and darker skin tone. “But my mother-in-law, to my surprise, said to my mom, ‘My son loves your daughter very much, so I love her too.’ She stood as an exemplary woman, far ahead of her time to break all barriers and gave her blessing,” she added. Having been married for 26 years now, they have fully embraced each other’s cultures in their everyday lives. “We enjoy all foods and traditions. Our pantry has everything from Indian pickles to kimchi and tofu. One day it is Chinese food, the next it is Indian or Italian,” said Sunita, adding that their two children are proud of being both Chinese and Indian. “My son has a Christian and Chinese name while my daughter has an Indian and Chinese

Court upholds conviction of ex-minister for fraud PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has upheld former Sabah infrastructure development minister Datuk Peter Anthony’s conviction and sentence of three years’ jail and RM50,000 fine for falsifying documents related to a maintenance and service contract at Universiti Malaysia Sabah 11 years ago. today, Bernama reported. Peter, 54, filed the appeal on April 19, 2023. It was dismissed by the High Court on April 18, 2023, making this his final appeal. He has paid the fine. should not alter the factual findings of the lower court unless those findings are shown to be incorrect. “This is especially important when the conclusions depend heavily on the credibility of witnesses and the impressions formed by the court that directly observed and assessed their honesty and accuracy.

He was charged in his capacity as Syarikat Asli Jati Sdn Bhd managing director with forging a letter from the office of the university deputy vice-chancellor, dated June 9, 2014, by inserting a false statement to use it for fraudulent purposes. The offence was committed at the office of the prime minister’s principal private secretary at the Perdana Putra building in Putrajaya between June 13 and Aug 21, 2014. Mohamed Zaini said the appellate court

This followed a decision yesterday by a panel, comprising judges Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Datuk Mohamed Zaini Mazlan and Datuk Azmi Ariffin, dismissing Peter’s appeal against his conviction and sentence handed down by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on May 26, 2022. The court ordered the Melalap assemblyman to serve the sentence from

“We are convinced that the Sessions Court provided a thorough judicial evaluation of the evidence and we find no errors that would justify intervention by the appellate court. “We conclude that the conviction of the accused is sound. We dismiss the appellant’s appeal and uphold the conviction and sentence imposed by the Sessions Court.”