18/05/2025

NATIONAL 3 ON SUNDAY MAY 18, 2025

71 schools to go virtual amid Asean Summit

PKR needs to be more active ahead of GE16: Nurul Izzah KUANTAN: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar wants the party to be more active ahead of the 16th general election, especially in shoring up support in rural communities. She said the focus would include discussions with component parties on revamping areas. “PKR needs to do this. We need more urgency, because if we leave it like before, we will lose momentum. “I don’t want us to end up in a situation where we are a minority party. Malay votes for PKR have reached 55% since 1999, now the median is 30%,” she said at a grassroots engagement on Friday. Also present were vice-president Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and PKR Women chief Fadhlina Sidek. She also emphasised her commitment to strengthen a data-driven democratic culture in party work, including expanding the use of studies and research. Nurul Izzah will take on Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli for the deputy president’s post during the party polls next week. Meanwhile, Rafizi is confident that digital platforms can convey the party’s message more effectively to the grassroots and representatives, even though the campaign period is only about a week long. He said PKR’s strength on social media platforms has always been an advantage in reaching out to the people who support the party’s struggle. “Every night, over 20,000 views are recorded at virtual campaign sessions. The response shows our message is getting through.” He said this to reporters after speaking at the programme tour, Hidupkan Idealisme Reformasi dalam Ujian Kuasa in Kelantan and Terengganu at the National Department of Culture and Arts Complex in Tanjong Chat, Kelantan, on Friday night. The PKR National Congress, including the Youth and Wanita congress, is from May 22 to 24 in Johor Bahru, with the national leadership election on May 23. – Bernama

Ű BY DEEPALAKSHMI MANICKAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Temporary move to ease congestion, ensure safety and minimise disruption for students while supporting traffic and security measures during high-level regional bloc meet, says Education Ministry

PETALING JAYA: To minimise disruption during the Asean Summit, the Education Ministry has announced that 71 schools in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur will adopt home-based teaching and learning on May 26 and 27. The Education Ministry, in a statement, said the move is in response to road closures and heightened security measures in place during the regional bloc’s high-level summit, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur under the theme “Asean: Inclusivity and Sustainability”. The Prime Minister’s Office, through its senior press secretary Tunku Nashrul Abaidah, stressed the need for seamless coordination among government agencies as Malaysia assumes the Asean chairmanship for 2025. In tandem with this, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged the private sector to implement work-from-home policies to ease traffic congestion and logistical strain. The schools affected are located in high-traffic zones and near key summit venues. In the Petaling Utama district of Selangor, the schools affected are SK Lembah Subang, SK Assunta (Satu), SK (L) Bukit Bintang (1), SK Methodist PJ, SK Jalan Selangor (Satu), SK 2 Jalan Selangor, SK Satu Sultan Alam Shah, SK 2 Sultan Alam Shah, SK Sungei Way and SJK(T) Vivekananda. The secondary schools involved are PETALING JAYA: The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) has proposed that the new pension scheme needs to be refined to ensure retirees can maintain their livelihood after reaching retirement age. Hadi Fazli Rusli, 38, an information officer at the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry, said although he supports giving civil servants the option regarding their pension payment, the government needs to clearly define the new mechanism on how the pension will be distributed. “Yes, everyone should have the right to choose. Some prefer to receive their pension in a lump sum, while others feel more secure with monthly payments,” Hadi Fazli told theSun when contacted yesterday. He said people have their own method of financial planning which differs depending on their needs, adding that those suffering from critical illness might prefer to get a lump sum payment to support their medical treatments. Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

In the Bangsar and Pudu areas, the schools are SK Pendidikan Khas Jalan Peel (Taman Maluri), SMK (P) Bandaraya, SMK (P) Jalan Pudu, SMK (P) Methodist KL, SJKC Kuen Cheng 1, SK Jalan Hang Tuah, SK (P) Pudu, SJKC Kung Min, SK Jalan Pasar, SK Dato Abu Bakar and SK Sultan Hishamuddin Alam Shah. The Education Ministry emphasised that the decision is intended to ensure learning continues with minimal interruption while enabling the smooth conduct of the Asean Summit. “The ministry is confident that the experience of virtual teaching and learning during the Covid-19 pandemic and in previous disaster situations will help ensure continuity in the learning process while safeguarding the well-being of students, teachers and the entire school community. “Parents, guardians, students, teachers and school staff involved are advised to refer to the official channels of their respective schools to obtain further information on the implementation of the concept.” It was also reported that police will soon release a list of roads affected by the summit.

SMK Sri Utama, SMK Lembah Subang, SMK Assunta, SMK (L) Bukit Bintang, SMK Katholik, SMK La Salle PJ, SMK Sultan Abdul Samad and SMK (P) Taman Petaling. In Petaling Perdana, the schools are SK TUDM Subang, SK TTDI Jaya, SK Bukit Jelutong, SMK TTDI Jaya, SMK Shah Alam and SMK Bukit Jelutong. In Sepang, it will be implemented at SK Cyberjaya, SK Taman Putra Perdana, SK Taman Putra Perdana 2, SJK (C) Union, SMK Cyberjaya and SMK Putra Perdana. For the Keramat area in Kuala Lumpur, the schools are SMK Convent Bukit Nanas, SMK Puteri Wilayah, SMK Padang Tembak, SMK Puteri Ampang, SMK Seri Ampang, SMK Puteri Titiwangsa, SMK Seri Titiwangsa, St John’s Institution, SK Convent 1 and 2 Bukit Nanas, SK St John’s 1, SJKC Nan Kai, SK Kg Bharu, SK Pendidikan Khas Kg Bharu, SJKT Jalan Fletcher, SK Jalan Kuantan 2, SK Padang Tembak 1 and 2, SK Polis Depot, SK Jalan Gurney 1 and 2 and SK Jalan Raja Muda. In Sentul, the schools include SMK Maxwell, SMK Kiaramas, SJKT Appar, SJKC Chung Kwok, SK (L) Jalan Batu, SK (P) Jalan Batu, SK Pendidikan Khas Jalan Batu and SK Kiaramas. “But there should be a plan on how to distribute the payment, whether there are certain amounts that are agreed upon by civil servants or whether it would be calculated based on years of service.” Perak RTM deputy director Mohd Zam Ali, 50, meanwhile, said Cuepacs’ proposal should be studied carefully to ensure the livelihood of the future batch of civil servants. Likening it to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) withdrawal, Mohd Zam warns that financial planning is important for those who favour a lump sum pension payment. “It is better to be prudent with your spending as there are some who can empty their bank account just months after getting hundreds of thousands of ringgit,” he said. A policeman, who only wished to be known as CR, echoed Mohd Zam’s remark, that the financial mindset of the younger generation nowadays is worrying. “They would rather spend on gadgets and fancy vehicles than plan for their future. The Malaysian life expectancy is increasing and they need to be mindful of how they want to live their life after

New pension scheme must protect futures: Cuepacs

Cuepacs says the new pension scheme needs to be refined to ensure retirees can maintain their livelihood after reaching retirement age. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN

system be given monthly basis or lump sum options for their retirement payments, subject to conditions and eligibility. Its president Datuk Dr Adnan Mat said it was one of three proposals in response to the PSD plan to retain the monthly payment under the new scheme. The second proposal is a hybrid scheme to allow partial lump sum withdrawals with the balance paid out monthly, while the third calls for ensuring government contribution rates are sufficient to cover retirees’ basic needs.

retirement,” said the 59-year-old. Public Service Department (PSD) director general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz had reportedly said the new pension scheme, to replace the current one, is expected to maintain the monthly pensions payment. He said it can help protect retirees from falling victim to scams, while ensuring their retirement savings are managed more efficiently. Subsequently, Cuepacs proposed that permanent appointees under the new