14/06/2025

SATURDAY | JUNE 14, 2025

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Rocket made by UTM students soars to final stages of contest

Two killed in lorry-trailer collision

Police probe explosion in residential area BUKIT MERTAJAM: Police are investigating an explosion at Taman Serumpun here, which caused damage to three houses. Central Seberang Perai District police chief ACP Helmi Aris said they received information from the public regarding a loud explosion in the residential area at 1.05am on Thursday. “The explosion is believed to have originated from a firecracker thrown into one of the houses. The impact of the explosion also caused damage to two adjacent houses. “The incident caused damage to the ceilings and yards of all three houses. “Vehicles at two of the houses were also damaged.” Helmi added that the incident could be related to debt issues. Those with information are urged to come forward to the district police headquarters or contact senior investigating officer ASP Assan Alimudin at 012-441 8081. – Bernama and one later succumbed to injuries at a hospital. A government-led special task force found that the lorry was carrying gravel despite being licensed only for coal, was overloaded by over 70% and lacked proper safety restraints in the rear compartment. The task force also highlighted issues related to road design, insufficient vehicle inspections and a lack of reinforced structures in the lorry. BATU PAHAT: A lorry driver and his assistant died after being involved in a crash at Km81.9, North-South Expressway, southbound on Thursday morning. Batu Pahat district police chief, ACP Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said those who died in the crash at 8.30am were driver R. Pubalan, 45, and his assistant R. Sivasanthiran, 35. Initial investigations found that the incident occurred when the lorry carrying electronic goods, crashed into the back of a timber trailer. “As a result of the collision, the timber trailer crashed into an oil tanker,” he said. “The driver and his assistant, who suffered serious head, chest and leg injuries, were confirmed dead at the scene, while the driver of the timber trailer, who suffered minor leg and chest injuries, was taken to the Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital in Batu Pahat. “ The driver of the oil tanker was not injured.” Shahrulanuar said the case is being investigated under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. – Bernama

evidence of UTM students’ ability to compete on the global level and highlighted the quality of the country’s higher education. “We are very proud of this achievement, and hope it will be an inspiration to Malaysia’s younger generation to continue to be brave in challenging themselves and be innovative in the fields of technology and space science,” he also said. The UTM Rocketry Team is now awaiting the final results of the competition. The competition brings together more than 7,000 students from 172 higher education institutions worldwide, with only 176 teams selected to compete in the finals. The official presence of the UTM team places Malaysia on par with other prestigious universities in the field of aerospace engineering.

components but involved intensive research, repeated testing and meticulous attention to every technical and safety aspect. “The handmade rocket took a total of more than nine months to build and was the result of teamwork, consisting of 40 people from various technical disciplines. “The project began early testing in January and was only seriously worked on in March, with an intensive two-month construction period. “This participation is not just a competition, but a symbol of our team’s spirit of innovation, resilience, and cooperation bringing the Malaysian spirit to the international stage,” said Arykummara. Meanwhile, UTM vice-chancellor Prof Dr Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim described the achievement as

o Team creates Malaysian first in engineering competition, bringing honour to country on global stage, says varsity

JOHOR BAHRU: A group of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) students created history by launching their rocket Rimau-1 in the International Rocket Engineering Competition 2025, being held in Midland, Texas, in the United States. UTM said in a statement the achievement makes the university the first Malaysian team to advance to the competition’s final, bringing honour to the country on the global stage. The prestigious six-day competition, which is organised by the Tripoli Rocketry Association, ends today. According to the statement, the UTM Rocketry Team is led by final year mechanical engineering student T.K. Arykummara, with Brenden Huang Hong Quan, K. Raahull, Izzat Idlan Amir Raslan and S.N. Shivee Prakkaash as teammates. The five represent a combination of students from the mechanical engineering and electrical engineering faculties, Bernama reported. “Interestingly, the team also developed a rocket parachute system as a safety measure, in addition to using ammonium perchlorate as the main fuel to propel the rocket to the target altitude of 3,000m in the Texas airspace. Although Rimau-1 was built at around RM40,000 the total expenses, including travel and logistics, amounted to RM200,000. “The project received support and financial assistance from the Mechanical Engineering Faculty, the

Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs, UTM International as well as several other sources,” said the statement. Arykummara said in the same statement that the rocket, which is 2.8m in height and weighs 28kg, was built using fiberglass and carbon material. The rocket is expected to reach an altitude of 3,000m in accordance with the height requirements set by the organisers. He said the process to build the rocket was not just about assembling

The UTM students striking a pose with their rocket and displaying the Jalur Gemilang . – PIC COURTESY OF UTM

Despatch rider charged with sexual assault of daughter KUALA LUMPUR: A despatch rider pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here yesterday to committing sexual assault against his six-year-old daughter last year. Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read together with Section 16(1) of the same law. M. Saravanan requested bail be set at RM20,000 in one surety, along with an additional condition that the accused must report to the nearest police station once a month.

The was unrepresented, appealed for a lower bail on the grounds of his RM2,000 monthly income and that the victim is living with his ex-wife. Judge Azrul Darus set July 16 for mention and granted the accused bail of RM5,000 in one surety. He must report to the nearest police station once a month until the disposal of the case. – Bernama accused, who

Section 14(a) provides for a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and whipping, while Section 16(1) carries a jail term of up to five years and a maximum of two strokes of the cane. Deputy public prosecutor

“The accused must surrender his passport to the court and is prohibited from contacting or disturbing the victim, as he is the child’s biological father and has visitation rights,” said the prosecutor.

The 37-year-old father of two is accused of committing the offence at a house in Kampung Datuk Keramat here between June 28 and July 10, 2024. The charge is framed under

Internal protocols for personnel transport being reviewed: IGP

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

“Whatever improvements are required, whether structural, procedural or logistical, we will implement them to avoid another tragedy like this,” he said. The crash occurred on May 15 in Jalan Chikus–Sungai Lampam along the Gerik-East West Highway, involving an FRU truck and a lorry carrying FRU Unit 5 officers. The collision resulted in the death of nine officers. Eight died at the scene

here yesterday. He added that the current practice of storing operational gear and officers together in the same vehicle poses safety risks and will be re-evaluated. Razarudin said police will present internal recommendations to the Home Ministry’s safety committee, aligning them with findings from the Transport Ministry’s separate investigation.

others, underscored the importance of segregating personnel from equipment during transit. “In the Teluk Intan incident, the vehicle was transporting personnel to the deployment site, not during an active operation. “That’s exactly why proper separation between passengers and equipment is necessary,” he said after the 90th Annual General Delegates Meeting launch ceremony

PETALING JAYA: Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the Royal Malaysia Police is reviewing its internal protocols for personnel transport following the fatal crash involving members of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) last month. Razarudin said the incident, which claimed nine lives and injured several