BACHOK, May 7 — While many choose to slow down after retirement, a group of retirees in Kuala Rekang, Melawi, have taken a different path by reviving idle land with Harumanis mangoes, which are now gaining recognition and putting Bachok on the map.

The premium mango, previously synonymous with Perlis, is gradually establishing a new foothold in Kelantan.

What began as a casual conversation among friends has grown into a shared source of income, strengthening community ties and giving new meaning to life after retirement.

Head of the Harumanis farm project, Mohd Rudzuan Jusoh, 53, said the initiative was sparked in late 2019 following discussions with fellow villagers after Isyak prayers, before evolving into a group farming project involving more than 40 participants.

“The idea was well received as the participants wanted to make use of idle former tobacco land while generating new income through high-value agriculture.

“We sourced the seedlings from Perlis at our own cost and cultivated them in stages,” he told Bernama recently.

He said more than 3,000 Harumanis trees are now being cultivated, with most of the participants comprising retired civil servants, including teachers, who have the time, interest and capital to venture into agriculture after leaving service.

Mohd Rudzuan Jusoh and his wife Rabiatun Naemah Mohd Azmy show ripe Harumanis mangoes. — Bernama pic

He added that Bachok’s geographical advantages, its coastal location, prolonged hot weather and sufficient water supply make it suitable for the crop, along with the fertile land previously used for tobacco farming.

“According to feedback from customers, including those from Kuala Lumpur, the taste and aroma of Harumanis Bachok are comparable to those from Perlis. We offer both fully ripe (yellow) and semi-ripe (green) fruit based on demand,” he said.

Mohd Rudzuan said Harumanis trees typically begin to bear fruit within three to five years, and for this May season, the harvest is estimated at three tonnes, among the best yields so far.

He said sales will begin on May 16, with premium-grade fruit priced at RM100 for three kilogrammes and Grade A at RM100 for four kilogrammes.

Farm purchases are also available at RM100 for five kilogrammes without grading, including the option for customers to pick the fruit themselves.

Meanwhile, retired teacher Rasidi Teh, 63, said the project’s success proves that retirees can remain active and generate income while strengthening community bonds.

“From idle land, it has become a shared source of livelihood. We hope Kuala Rekang can emerge as a new Harumanis hub in Kelantan,” he said, expressing appreciation for the state government’s support through courses and grants to expand the cultivation. — Bernama 

KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said that the National Unity Ministry has been directed to spearhead discussions regarding issues related to unregulated houses of worship across the country. 

Fahmi said that instruction came from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the weekly Cabinet meeting. 

“The Cabinet has discussed the issue of unregulated houses of worship and the prime minister has directed the National Unity Ministry to coordinate further discussions to manage and resolve this matter,” he said. 

Fahmi added that the discussion will involve several key ministries and agencies including the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry, The Housing and Local Government Ministry, the Home Ministry as well as the Federal Territories Department and other stakeholders. 

The discussions were aimed at finding solutions to issues involving unregulated houses of worship nationwide.

Previously in February, Anwar said that no unregulated houses of worship would be allowed to be built and local authorities have the right to remove structures that were built without proper legal approval.

Meanwhile in April, the federal government froze all construction and expansion at 163 unregulated non-Muslim places of worship identified on public land in KL. 

To resolve the status of these sites fairly, Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh announced the formation of 11 MP-led sub-committees tasked with negotiating structured solutions with religious leaders and stakeholders. 

This initiative marks a shift toward a more inclusive and “prudent” approach, balancing legal enforcement with the sensitivities of Malaysia’s multicultural community.

The move is supported by a parallel effort at the national level, where the Ministry of Housing and Local Government is refining guidelines for the management of non-Islamic places of worship to ensure a more orderly approach nationwide.

IPOH, May 6 — A man was killed after the car he was driving skidded before being pierced by a guardrail in an accident at Kilometre 295.5 of the North-South Expressway (PLUS) southbound, near Gopeng, yesterday afternoon.

Perak Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) assistant director of operations, Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad, said the department received an emergency call at 4.29 pm, after which a team from the Simpang Pulai Fire and Rescue Station was dispatched to the scene.

“The accident involved a Perodua Axia and a Perodua Myvi. The deceased has been identified as Mohd Iqhbal Afiq Abd Ghafar, 37, the driver of the Perodua Axia.

“The victim was pinned inside the vehicle after the guardrail pierced through the car. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Ministry of Health (MOH) medical officers,” he said in a statement.

Sabarodzi added that also in the Perodua Axia were the victim’s wife, his two daughters and a niece. All four sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital, while the driver of the Perodua Myvi escaped unhurt.

“The rescue team conducted an extrication operation using hydraulic equipment to remove the pinned victim.

“The operations commander sized up (the situation) at the location before applying the SAVER (Systematic Approach to Victim Entrapment Rescue) concept, directing personnel to carry out the rescue work until the victim was successfully extricated,” he said.

Sabarodzi said the body was handed over to the police for further action. The operation was brought under control at 5.25 pm and concluded at 6.46 pm. — Bernama

IPOH, May 6 — Police have arrested a local man suspected of stealing cables belonging to Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) along the railway track at Kilometre 181.9 near Jalan Tun Perak Monday.

Ipoh District Police chief ACP Muhammad Najib Hamzah said the arrest at 4.30 pm was carried out by KTMB auxiliary police together with personnel from the Ipoh District Police Headquarters (IPD) during a patrol.

“The suspect acted aggressively and attempted to flee, but was successfully apprehended. Police also seized a plastic bag containing three rolls of cable believed to belong to KTMB.

“A urine test on the suspect returned positive for methamphetamine and checks revealed he has seven criminal records and 15 drug-related records,” he said in a statement today.

He said the 39-year-old suspect had been remanded for three days to assist investigations under Section 66 of the Railways Act 1991. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — The Education Ministry has refuted claims that several top SPM scorers were denied places in the matriculation programme, saying all eligible 10A students had already been offered admission, according to a Facebook post by Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh.

Wong said MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong had recently alleged that the Madani government failed to fulfil its promise of offering Matriculation Programme places to 10A SPM high achievers, claiming he had received at least 11 cases of students allegedly left out.

He said the claim was inaccurate and unfounded, adding that he had challenged Wee to submit the students’ names to the Education Ministry for verification.

On May 4, Wong said Wee later claimed that all 11 students had secured places in the matriculation programme following MCA’s intervention.

However, Wong said Ministry of Education (KPM) records showed that all the students had already been offered places earlier under the government’s automatic placement policy for 10A SPM scorers.

He outlined a timeline, saying the ministry had announced on April 8, 2026, that all 10A students applying for matriculation would be automatically considered for admission for the 2026/2027 intake.

He said initial offers were issued on April 27 via the Matriculation portal, but some students who obtained their results after rechecking were still pending due to incomplete data at the time.

Wong added that 286 students who received updated 10A results were later notified of their offers on April 29 via SMS, with formal acceptance available from May 6.

On May 1, Wee allegedly repeated claims that the government had failed to deliver on its promise.

Wong said he again asked Wee to provide the names of the 11 students, and the ministry also requested the list through MCA president’s Facebook page.

He said the list was only provided after about 48 hours, following which ministry officials verified the cases.

According to Wong, one student had already been offered a place on April 27, while the remaining 10 had received notifications on April 29 at around 11.01am.

He said all students had therefore been offered places before Wee’s public remarks.

Wong also criticised claims that the admissions were due to MCA’s intervention, saying the intake was the result of government policy changes.

He added that credit for the admissions should go to stakeholders supporting the Madani government’s policy reforms.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — A new 24-hour, open-air art exhibition titled the “Museum of Disappearance” is set to transform the iconic Petaling Street into a city-wide art hunt starting May 6.

The project, launching as part of KL Festival 2026, features 25 text- and sound-based artworks by Malaysian artist OOOH, hidden throughout the streets and alleyways.

The exhibition invites the public to reflect on memory, loss, and the traces left behind by rapid urban transformation.

Instead of providing a map, the museum will release clues on its official social media channels, encouraging visitors to wander and discover the pieces organically.

The first person to find each of the 25 artworks will receive a special edition of the piece for their own collection.

The artist, known as OOOH, said the project stems from her personal experience of growing up around Petaling Street and witnessing its changes after returning from living abroad.

“Petaling Street is part of my growing up. In recent years, the space has changed rapidly—almost every time I return, something familiar is gone,” she said in the statement.

“Through this work, I want to hold on to these disappearing memories.”

Organisers describe the “Museum of Disappearance” as an ad-hoc art intervention, not a permanent institution.

The concept will periodically feature different artists responding to the theme of “disappearance” in various locations. This inaugural edition is supported by KL Festival and the Krishen Jit Fund.

The Hong Kong government is seeking to confiscate HK$127 million in assets belonging to pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, following his conviction and jail term under the national security law.

Lai has been summoned to the High Court on July 8 to hear the government’s application. The case will be presided over by Esther Toh, one of the three judges who heard his national security trial.

In a writ submitted to the High Court earlier this month, the secretary for justice listed assets to be “forfeited” to the authorities.

The list includes credit balances in bank accounts belonging to or linked to the Apple Daily founder.

Fifteen bank accounts under Lai’s name – 10 with HSBC, two with Hang Seng Bank and three with Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank – have over HK$32 million.

The government is also seeking to seize bank accounts belonging to 17 companies linked to Lai. It is also demanding that Lai give up shares in 17 companies, some of which overlap with the 17 firms whose assets the government is seeking to seize.

Among the companies whose assets and shares the government wants to seize are Dico Consultants Ltd, which has over HK$404,302 in its HSBC account, and Lai’s Hotel Properties Ltd, which has over HK$3.1 billion in its four HSBC accounts.

Dico Consultants was at the centre of Lai’s fraud case relating to an alleged lease violation. Lai was accused of allowing the company to occupy parts of Apple Daily’s headquarters in Tseung Kwan O, despite the newspaper premises being rented for printing and publishing.

Lai was jailed for five years and nine months in December 2022 after being found guilty of fraud, but the conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal in February this year.

The government also applied to seize HK$10 million in bail money that Lai had given to the court in December 2020, before he was later denied bail and remanded.

The media mogul was jailed for 20 years in February after being found guilty of conspiring to collude with foreign forces and of sedition, both offences under the Beijing-imposed national security law.

The jail term is the longest handed down so far for a national security offence. His lawyers have said that Lai will not appeal.

Ricoh has revealed a new logo and slogan to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the GR series of cameras. The new visual and the messaging "Forever a Snapshooter" will be used throughout the rest of 2026.

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