4/09/2025

THURSDAY | SEPT 4, 2025

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Accidental fall, push unlikely in Zara Qairina case: Expert

Call for revival of earthquake committee

KUALA and Geoscience Department director-general Datuk Zamri Ramli said a technical committee on earthquakes should be reactivated to coordinate studies and reassess seismic risks in Malaysia following the recent tremors in Johor. He said the committee, coordinated under the National Disaster Management Agency, could review existing data to support more accurate studies and action plans. He proposed that the committee include representatives from the department, the Malaysian Meteorological Department, the Survey and Mapping Department, the Public Works Department, academics and professional bodies. “This committee is important to refine existing data on tectonic activity and potentially active fault lines.” The committee was last active in 2020. He said the series of tremors in Segamat was an unexpected sign, caused by tectonic activity that released internal stress along a fault zone. He added that Malaysia’s old fault lines, estimated to be between 60 million and 200 million years old, must be re-examined. “The focus would be on reviewing historical fault characteristics and determining their slip rates and lengths to estimate possible earthquake magnitudes.” He emphasised the importance of microzonation studies and updated fault mapping, adding that earthquake impacts could vary depending on location, even with similar magnitudes. The department has begun fieldwork in Johor, starting in Segamat before extending to other areas identified as vulnerable. Zamri also said several parts of Malaysia face potential risk, in addition to the transboundary effects of earthquakes from neighbouring countries. He highlighted the role of the Survey and Mapping Department’s geodesy expertise in determining whether fault movement rates have changed after the tremors. – Bernama Secretary remanded for suspected abuse of power MALACCA: A secretary of the academic staff association at a public university has been remanded for five days to assist in investigations into allegations of abusing his position to use association funds totalling RM84,500 last year. The remand order, which starts today until Sept 7, was issued by Magistrate Uthman Abd Ghani after an application was made by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) at the Ayer Keroh Magistrate’s Court yesterday. According to sources, the 47-year-old man allegedly used the association’s money to pay legal costs and court order costs on behalf of his wife. “The suspect appeared to give a statement at the state MACC office at 5.10pm on Tuesday before being detained for a remand application today,” Uthman said. Malacca MACC director Datuk Adi Supian Shafie confirmed the arrest. The case is being investigated under section 23 of the MACC Act 2009. – Bernama LUMPUR: Minerals

She also said the brain had decomposed and could not be assessed. However, the lower left forearm, wrist, hand and finger showed bruising with a distal radius fracture and wrist dislocation. Other injuries included bruises and fractures in both ankles and feet, with comminuted fractures of the tibia and calcaneum (heel bone), as well as vertebral fractures, muscle hematoma and pelvic tissue damage. “These injuries were consistent with findings in her scans and medical records.” She told the court that Zara was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in a critical state at 4.38am on July 16, unconscious with signs of severe brain injury.

more than three-quarters of her height and above her centre of gravity, making it unlikely she accidentally fell or was pushed from a standing position.” Hiu said it was possible the teenager climbed onto the concrete base, crossed over the metal rails and stood on the railing, Bernama reported. She said she visited the scene at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha Limauan in Kinarut on Aug 2 before reviewing the victim’s medical records, CT scans and radiographs. She testified that the body was in a moderate to advanced state of decomposition consistent with burial in soil, though tissues remained intact enough for examination.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Coroner’s Court heard yesterday that Zara Qairina Mahathir had likely not fallen accidentally or been pushed from a standing position next to her hostel corridor’s railing. Queen Elizabeth Hospital forensic o Differences in height, centre of gravity contributing factors in conclusion

pathologist Dr Jessie Hiu, who conducted the post-mortem, said the third-floor railing measured 118cm in height, while Zara Qairina was 154cm tall. “The difference is 36cm. The railing height is 770 foreigners held, syndicate busted in Immigration ops A sutured laceration was found at the back of the head, but there were no skull or facial fractures. The hearing before the coroner, Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan, resumes tomorrow.

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department mounted two major operations this week, rounding up 770 undocumented foreigners in Bukit Bintang and crippling a Bangladeshi-run passport forgery syndicate in the capital. Immigration enforcement director Basri Othman said the Bukit Bintang raid, carried out between 7.30pm and 10.30pm, was launched after three weeks of public complaints about large groups of foreigners gathering at Jalan Bedara. “Enforcement officers found an online gambling premises equipped with a CCTV monitoring system. When the authorities broke down the door, seven foreigners were busy engaged in online gambling, unaware of the presence of the personnel,” he told Bernama. A total of 2,445 individuals were screened, 1,600 foreigners and 845 locals, with 770 foreigners arrested for various immigration offences, including overstaying, lacking valid documents and possessing unrecognised cards or passes. Those detained included 377 Bangladeshi, 235 Myanmar, 72 Nepalese, 58 Indian and 17 Indonesian men, two women, as well as nine additional individuals of different nationalities. The detainees, aged 21 to 65, were taken to Putrajaya for screening before being taken to the Bukit Jalil and Lenggeng depots for investigation. Basri said they would be investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passport Act 1966 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007. He reminded employers not to harbour illegal immigrants, adding that action would be taken against those who did. In a separate operation, the department dismantled a forgery syndicate run by Bangladeshi nationals that specialised in producing counterfeit passports for

Zakaria said the syndicate supplied fake passports to workers at risk of failing mandatory medical checks. – FAIZ RUZMAN/THESUN

RM2,100 in cash and a vehicle believed to have been used by the group. He also said the syndicate supplied fake passports to workers at risk of failing mandatory medical checks. For a fee of RM150 to RM250, unfit workers used the forged documents to pass screenings under false identities before discarding them. Investigations showed the syndicate, active for about three months, could produce counterfeit passports within two days. While most clients were Bangladeshi nationals, the group also relied on runners and employers to source customers. night, I could not sleep at all. I kept thinking this is truly an answered prayer for me and my family.” He added that he plans to settle his housing loan, clear his debts and save the rest for his children’s future. Two other EZ-Bet winners from Selangor also shared portions of the jackpot, pocketing RM2.1 million and RM3.3 million respectively. Both had also chosen family-related numbers.

medical screenings. Its director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said three Bangladeshi men, aged between 19 and 41, were arrested in raids at Jalan Loke Yew and Jalan Razak Mansion in Kuala Lumpur, following three weeks of intelligence gathering. “During the operation, we seized 16 passports, nine genuine and seven forged, along with forgery equipment including a computer, printers, passport pages and covers, embossing tools, cutters and coloured threads.” Also seized were 133 unfinished passport booklets for Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Indonesia, 11 mobile phones, children to the STM Lottery head office to collect his winnings. He said he decided to try his luck with the jackpot after overhearing another customer purchasing a Lucky Pick ticket. Instead of opting for Lucky Pick, he combined his family members’ birthdates, 3, 6, 9, 12, 27 and 34, which turned out to be the winning combination. “I could not believe my eyes when I saw all six numbers matched. I was stunned. That

Man takes home RM73 million in jackpot winnings

Ű BY THE SUN TEAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: Two Toto players from Johor struck gold in the same week, winning a combined RM89.2 million in jackpot prizes. A 53-year-old technician who works in Singapore claimed the lion’s share, RM73.1 million, from the RM78.5 million Supreme Toto 6/58 jackpot drawn on Aug 20. He was accompanied by his wife and