t’s been a good run: Khaw (left) presenting the handover documents to Bukit Aman NCID deputy director of Narcotics (Intelligence/Operations) DCP Mat Zani @ Mohd Salahuddin Che Ali who will be acting as the new Bukit Aman NCID director. Looking on is Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay (centre). — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: A rewarding career advancement awaits police personnel who show integrity, commitment and competence in their duties, regardless of their ethnicity, says Comm Datuk Seri Khaw Kok Chin.
The outgoing Bukit Aman Narcotic Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director said he is living proof that non-Malay officers could break barriers and rise in rank.
“I am one of them and proof that non-Malays can climb the ranks too. I owe who I am today to the police force.
“I strongly encourage non-Malays to sign up with the force and serve our country,” said Khaw, who will be retiring tomorrow as he turns 60.
With humble beginnings as a kampung boy from Alor Setar, Kedah, Khaw joined the force in 1991 as a cadet.
At age 38, he became a district police chief (OCPD) and more than three decades later, a police commissioner.
Khaw, who has had extensive experience in the CID, had also served as Penang police chief and Johor deputy police chief during his 34 years of service.
“There are ample opportunities for promotions for officers who prove themselves through hard work and professionalism,” he told The Star in an interview at Bukit Aman on Tuesday.
Khaw is the fourth Malaysian Chinese to head a police department and the first for the NCID in the history of the force.
Prior to Khaw was Datuk Koh Hong Sun, who headed the Commercial Crimes Investigations Department (CCID) 13 years ago.
The other two directors of Chinese ethnicity were Datuk Christopher Wan Soo Kee, who helmed the CID, and police administration department director Datuk Ang Phaik Chin.
Asked about his greatest challenge as a police officer, Khaw said while all police departments have their respective challenges, he finds the NCID to be “the most demanding”.
“The NCID is challenging because we are dealing with hardcore criminals who have a record of violence, carry firearms and have links with the underworld.
“As a result, the risks are high and threats are faced right from the top leadership to those on the ground, especially when we need to carry out surveillance, ambushes and other operations.
“Since drug dealers often carry firearms, if a gunfight erupts, we will need to engage in dangerous situations to apprehend the syndicate members,” he added.
A significant part of Khaw’s tenure was also with the CID, where he handled high-profile case investigations.
Khaw had tackled cases involving the country’s most notorious serial rapist, Lee Chow Meng, in 1997, the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006 and the murder of cosmetics millionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and four of her associates in 2010.
Khaw said he is confident the NCID would be led by a capable successor after he retires.
“To be chosen as a director would mean the person has the qualities it takes to lead. Leadership is important to earn the respect of our personnel,” he said.
“To succeed in this fight against drugs, superiors must go down to the ground see for themselves what their personnel are going through.
“The welfare of our subordinates have to be cared for too.
“It is the same with fighting the drug menace. We must keep charging at it before it spawns and not wait to act when it gets out of control.
“A strong message must be sent out to the drug lords that we are constantly on their tails. This is why teamwork is so crucial and I am confident my successor will carry out his or her duties well,” added Khaw.
New Intel Corp CEO Tan Lip-Bu. — Photo courtesy of Intel
PETALING JAYA: Malaysian-born Tan Lip-Bu (Americanised to Lip-Bu Tan) has been appointed chief executive officer (CEO) of troubled technology firm Intel Corp, effective March 18, with many industry observers aching to see what strategies the new boss has in place to turn around the chip giant.
He takes over from Pat Gelsinger, three months after the company veteran was forced out by Intel’s board because his costly and ambitious plan to improve the firm’s performance was seen as faltering and sapping investor confidence.
Notably, Tan’s appointment will also attract the attention of Donald Trump, with the US president eager for Intel to rebound in his push for more manufacturing in the country, threatening tariffs on imports that have roiled global markets for weeks.
Independent analyst Jack Gold told Reuters that Tan would be able to leverage his experience and especially his industry connections, while pursuing excellence within Intel.
“Hopefully the board will stay out of his way as he makes the necessary changes,” Gold said.
Tan moves in the same social circle as Lisa Su from Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, two artificial intelligence (AI) chip leaders who, according to Reuters, had been pitched to invest in Intel.
Born in Muar in 1959, Tan grew up in Singapore and was educated there, graduating from Nanyang University with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Physics. He later completed a Master of Science in nuclear engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States.
Now a naturalised American, Tan began his doctoral studies in nuclear engineering at MIT, before moving to the University of San Francisco in California, where he graduated with a Master of Business Administration and founded venture capital firm Walden International in 1987.
A former Intel board member himself, he had been seen as a contender for the CEO’s post thanks to his deep experience in the chip industry and his status as a long-time technology investor in promising startups.
For example, he took a stake in Annapurna Labs, a startup later purchased by Amazon.com Inc for US$370mil that has become the heart of its inhouse chip division.
He also invested in Nuvia, which Qualcomm bought for US$1.4bil in 2021, making it a central part of its push to compete with Intel in the laptop and PC chip markets.
Tan remains actively involved with startups that could either become competitors or acquisition targets for Intel, exemplified by the fact that earlier this week he invested in AI photonic startup Celestial AI, which is backed by Intel rival Advanced Micro Devices.
In a letter to Intel employees on Wednesday, Tan said: “Together, we will work hard to restore Intel’s position as a world-class products company, establish ourselves as a world-class foundry and delight our customers like never before.”
Intel shares surged 12% in extended trading on Wednesday, and analysts welcomed the move which they said was likely to bring some stability to the chipmaker.
The company’s stock had declined by 60% in 2024.
From 2009 to 2021, Tan was CEO of Cadence Design Systems, a chip design software firm whose fortunes he revived by focusing Cadence around supplying the software for sophisticated designs and partnering closely with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), which from its founding days swore it would focus only on manufacturing.
During Tan’s time at Cadence, the firm’s stock appreciated 3,200% and it landed Apple as one of its largest customers, as the iPhone maker shifted away from suppliers such as Intel and toward its own chips.
Cadence’s tools also became central to chip industry firms such as Broadcom, which helps Google, Amazon and others design their own AI chips and have them made by TSMC.
“He did a really good job of pointing (Cadence) in the right direction. Cadence really aligned itself with TSMC – they saw them as a leader and the go-to shop,” Karl Freund, an analyst with Cambrian AI Research, told Reuters.
Intel is undergoing a historic transition as it attempts to emerge from one of its bleakest periods.
While struggling to cash in on a boom in investment in advanced AI chips that has fired up the fortunes of market leader Nvidia and other chipmakers, the company is spending heavily to become a contract manufacturer of chips for other companies, leading some investors to worry about pressure on its cash flow.
The Only Core Exercises You Need For Strength And Stability!
These abdominal exercises aim to ensure that your core muscles are strong and functional.
TODAY, I’m going to focus on one exercise that you can do for every abdominal muscle.
It’s not to achieve a flat stomach, but to strengthen your core muscles to help stabilise your body, allowing you to move in any direction without losing your balance.
From a rehabilitation perspective, a strong core can help alleviate lower back pain, improve spinal alignment and reduce the risk of injury during physical activity.
A strong core doesn’t necessarily mean a toned stomach, while a visible six-pack does not always equate to a strong core.
A six-pack looks good with or without clothes, no doubt, but you have to ensure it is also functional.
Having visible abdominal muscles just means your body fat percentage is low enough to show the muscle fibres beneath subcutaneous fat.
Doing core exercises alone won’t help as burning off body fat is best accomplished by modifying the diet and engaging in cardiovascular activities.
And the reality is that the older you get, the harder it is to trim fat and build muscle.
We have five main muscles in our abdomen:
> Rectus abdominis – the top or
superficial layer.
> Pyramidalis – a small triangular muscle, anterior to (in front of ) the rectus abdominis muscle.
> External obliques – outermost abdominal muscles, extending from the lower half of the ribs around and down to the pelvis.
> Internal obliques – muscles on the lateral (outer) side of the abdomen and anterior to (in front of ) the external oblique muscles.
> Transversus abdominis – the deepest layer.
Of the five, the transversus abdominis is the hardest to get to because it is located in the deepest area.
Virtually all daily movements and activities involve the abdominal muscles to some extent, from walking/running and putting on shoes to playing board games.
However, they don’t bulk up to the degree of other muscles because they are relatively thin structures.
That said, try out these four exercises.
Perhaps do them two or three times a week as all muscles need to be rested in between workouts.
If you’re a beginner, stick to one set of all the exercises, and build up from there.
By Revathi Murugappan , a certified fitness trainer who tries to battle gravity and continues to dance to express herself artistically and nourish her soul. For more information, email starhealth@ thestar.com.my. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
Reclaim Your Stability With Core Exercises For Stroke Recovery
After a stroke, many patients struggle with poor control and strength in the muscles on one side of the body. While the focus of recovery is often on the limbs and facial muscles, without a strong core, extremities and the rest of the body may suffer. With the help of these core exercises for stroke recovery, you can continue to make recovery progress at home on your own.
Beth Thornton and Kathryn Smith, physiotherapists at Physio At Home, promote the importance of core strength in stroke recovery. When the core is strong, the rest of the body benefits. Not to mention, a stroke can impact the core more than many patients realize. When working with stroke victims, Thornton and Smith emphasize the importance of the core in overall recovery and recommends specific core exercises for stroke recovery patients can perform at home to help strengthen the core.
As with any new exercise, stroke victims should talk with their healthcare provider before attempting any of these. If the exercises cause pain, the individual should stop.
Basic Level Core Strength Exercises
Strokes are life-threatening events that can cause irreversible neurological damage, so the recovery period is as much about retraining the brain as it is about strengthening the muscles. In order to regain use of your core muscles, you must keep them active in order to create the brain connections you need to improve after a stroke. When first starting out, consider practicing these basic level core exercises:
1) Pelvic Floor Contractions
Pelvic floor contractions, also known as Kegels, can help strengthen the muscles on the pelvic floor, which is the muscular base of the abdomen attached to the pelvis.
First, find the muscles by imagining that you are trying to hold urine or stop from passing gas. Squeeze these muscles by lifting and drawing in, then hold for a count of three. Relax then repeat, gradually increasing the holding time until you can hold for 10 seconds.
If at any point you feel the contraction relaxing, let it relax completely and rest for 10 seconds before contracting again.Repeat the exercise 10 times.
2) Knee Rolling
Lay on your back with your hands resting at your side. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Roll your hips so that your knees push to the left, then to the right, then back to center. Repeat 10-20 times.
3) Single Leg Drop-Outs
Lay on the floor with the hips and feet flat with the knees bent. Keep the pelvis still, using the hands to keep it in place if needed. Inhale, and drop the left knee to the left, as far as possible without lifting the pelvis, keeping the knee bent. Exhale, and draw the knee back in. Repeat 5 times per side.
Intermediate Level Core Strength Exercises
Once you begin building some strength, you are ready to progress in your exercise practice. These intermediate exercises will challenge a larger number of core muscles and build even more strength.
4) Single Leg Bridging
Lay on the exercise mat and place one leg flat on the floor with the knee bent. Place the other leg on an exercise ball. Using the core muscles, lift the pelvis off the mat and slowly lower back down. Repeat for 10 repetitions, then switch legs.
5) Side Laying Clams
Clams are a great exercise for your core as well as your legs. Lie down on your side with your knees bent, resting one knee on top of the other. Keeping your feet together, lift the upper knee towards the ceiling and hold your knees apart for 10 seconds. Next, slowly lower your knee back down. Be careful not to roll your hips back. Repeat 5-10 times on each side.
6) Four-Point Kneeling
Kneel on the ground and place your hands flat on the ground so you are in a crawling stance. Contract the pelvic floor and raise one leg while lifting the opposite arm. Hold for a few seconds, and return to the starting position, repeating with the opposite arm and leg. Repeat for two to three sets of 10 reps each.
Advanced Level Exercises
As you continue to develop your core muscles, you will be ready to add more intensity. These advanced exercises increase the intensity of the intermediate exercises so you can regain a strong, healthy core.
7) Bridging with Arms Above Head
Lay on an exercise mat with your shoulders and lower back flat on the floor. Support your legs on an exercise ball. Lift your arms above your head, then use the core muscles to lift your hips off the floor until your body is in a straight line from heels to shoulders. Slowly lower back down and repeat 10-15 times.
8) Bilateral Leg Cycling
Lay on the floor and lift the legs off of the ground, holding them in a cycling position. Then, cycle as if you are riding a bicycle in the air. Rest and repeat 10 times.
9) Superman Pose
Imagine superman flying through the air. Now, lay on the floor on your stomach and take this same position, arms and legs extended. Hold to strengthen the core muscles in your back, and relax.Hold the position for 2-5 seconds and repeat 10 times.
When Retraining the Brain and Body After a Stroke, Don't Neglect the Core
A stroke is a life-altering event that can happen in an instance. For many stroke patients, it serves as a wake up call to pay closer attention to health and wellness. A pro-active approach to retraining the muscles and the brain after a stroke is a great first step towards a healthier life.
When working at home, do not neglect those crucial core muscles. With a little bit of attention to the core, and the help of Saebo products to strengthen the hands, arms, and shoulders, you can experience a high quality of life after a stroke.
Whether you are a caregiver, occupational therapist or even a stroke survivor yourself, Saebo provides stroke survivors young or old access to transformative and life changing products. We pride ourselves on providing affordable, easily accessible, and cutting-edge solutions to people suffering from impaired mobility and function. We have several products to help with the stroke recovery and rehabilitation process. From the SaeboFlex, which allows clients to incorporate their hand functionally in therapy or at home, to the SaeboMAS, an unweighting device used to assist the arm during daily living tasks and exercise training, we are commitment to helping create innovative products for stroke recovery. Check out all of our product offerings or let us help you find which
Shining Sun: Honouring Dr Sun at the 100th anniversary of his demise at the Sun Yat Sen Museum in George Town, Penang. (Below) Dr Yee sharing some of the stories he was told while growing up about Dr Sun, at the Sun Yat Sen Museum. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: They are both medical doctors who share the same birthday on Nov 12.
And just like Father of Modern China the late Dr Sun Yat Sen, octogenarian Datuk Seri Dr Yee Thiam Sun had embarked on a path dedicating his life to serving the people.
At 81, Dr Yee continues to work from his clinic in Lebuh Carnavon treating patients and offering consultations at a discounted rate.
The buck does not stop there as the calm and humble Dr Yee also wears many other hats being a Scout leader, JCI (Junior Chamber International) leader, St John Ambulance of Malaysia, Penang commander, UN Youth leader, senior logistician who has been actively involved in humanitarian logistics movements, holding the title of Fellow of LogM (FLogM/Senior Logistician) and the position of honorary president of LogM.
He has also been mentoring and providing opportunities to leaders, especially young ones, through his involvement with Scouts, St John, JCI, SMJKs, SJKCs, and other organisations.
Dr Yee was a King’s Scout (1961) and has received many awards from various organisations, including the government, Scouts and St John.
Datuk Seri Dr Yee Thiam Sun sharing the stories he was told growing up about Dr Sun Yat Sen, during the gathering of the 100th anniversary of his demise at the Sun Yat Sen Museum in George Town, Penang. (March 8, 2025) — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star.
The Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang had also conferred him the Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negeri (DGPN), which carries the title Datuk Seri.
Dr Yee recalled that his late grandfather had served as the Chinese political and revolutionary leader’s secretary while Dr Sun was in Penang.
“While growing up, my mother, whose birthday also fell on the same day as mine and Dr Sun’s, used to tell me about how Dr Sun had dedicated his life to serving and helping the people.
“Her stories had left a lasting impression on me and I too wanted to serve the people in some way or another.
“I adopted Dr Sun’s motto to serve the people by running a clinic and charging less so that people do not feel the pinch.
“To be able to do this, I decided to work on my own because if I worked for others, I would not be able to charge less,” he said when met at the memorial event held at the Sun Yat Sen Museum Penang in Armenian Street to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the passing of Dr Sun.
Dr Yee also said that his maternal grandfather was an active supporter and spent most of his money on Dr Sun’s movement.
“My grandfather was a writer, and so he wrote for Dr Sun too,” he said.
Dr Yee added that despite his age, he wants to continue working to serve, just like his Dr Sun.
Businessman Dr Lawrence Khoo, in his 50s, said his grandfather was an ardent supporter of Dr Sun and had offered assistance in many ways.
“Dr Sun believed in education being of utmost importance and my grandfather as his supporter, started the Chung Ling High School and Penang Chinese Girls’ High School as well as Kwong Wah Yit Poh (a Chinese-language newspaper) here in Penang.
“We still follow his ideology that education is important and that women must be treated as equals.
“This has influenced me and I believe that we all need education and to be treated equally regardless of gender,” he said.
During the gathering, museum custodian Khoo Salma shared that a short video about how the Chinese community from other countries remember Dr Sun will be released on March 12, the actual death anniversary.
“Dr Sun was the towering figure of his time and the first provisional president of the China republic.
“He was a man with a vision who never gave up,” she said.
At the museum, Khoo said they share his (Dr Sun’s) story daily with visitors.
“This keeps his story alive.”
Born in 1866 in Guangdong province in China, Dr Sun studied medicine in Hong Kong and became a doctor.
He started his revolutionary career in 1894 and staged his first uprising in China a year later after forming Xing Zhong Hui in Honolulu.
He travelled around the world in search of support and came to Penang five times from 1906 to 1912.
Often called the “Father of Modern China”, Dr Sun played a key role in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty in 1911.
He was the first provisional president when the Republic of China was established in 1912.
He passed away on March 12, 1925, after battling cancer.
Sun Yat-sen at 100: The revolutionary who shaped modern China
Wednesday, March 12, marks 100 years since the death of Chinese revolutionary and politician Sun Yat-sen, the “Father of the Nation.”
Sun was a Chinese revolutionary leader and political philosopher, often referred to as the "Father of Modern China" for his pivotal role in overthrowing the Qing dynasty and establishing the Republic of China. Born on November 12, 1866, in Cuiheng Village, Guangdong Province, Sun received a Western-style education in Hawaii and later studied medicine in Hong Kong. His exposure to Western ideas and the decline of the Qing dynasty fueled his determination to reform China.
Sun founded the Revive China Society in 1894, advocating for the overthrow of the Qing and the establishment of a modern republic. His revolutionary efforts culminated in the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, which ended over 2,000 years of imperial rule. On January 1, 1912, Sun was inaugurated as the provisional president of the Republic of China, though he soon stepped aside to promote unity.
Sun's political philosophy, the Three Principles of the People (nationalism, democracy, and people's livelihood), became the foundation of Chinese governance. Despite facing numerous challenges, including warlordism and foreign intervention, Sun remained committed to unifying China and modernizing its society. He reorganized the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, or KMT) and formed alliances with the Communist Party of China to strengthen the revolutionary movement.
Sun passed away on March 12, 1925, in Beijing, leaving behind a legacy of revolution and reform. His ideas continue to influence both Taiwan and mainland China, where he is revered as a unifying figure.
Sun Yat-sen expressed his support for Zionism in a letter sent to N.E.B. Ezra, 24 April 1920. (credit: Abraham Schwadron Autograph Collection/National Library of Israel)
The Zionism letter
There was also a fascinating discovery back in 2021, when a letter written by Sun to a Shanghai Jew expressed support for the Zionist cause.
In the letter, dated April 24, 1920, Sun voiced his enthusiastic backing for Zionism, describing it as “one of the greatest movements of the present time.”
"[I] wish to assure you of my sympathy for this movement – which is one of the greatest movements of the present time," Yat-sen's letters reads. "All lovers of Democracy cannot help but support whole-heartedly and welcome with enthusiasm the movement to restore your wonderful and historic nation, which has contributed so much to the civilization of the world and which rightfully deserve [sic] an honorable place in the family of nations."
It was addressed to N.E.B. Ezra, a prominent writer, publisher, and the founder of the Shanghai Zionist Association.
Sun is celebrated for his role in shaping modern Chinese history, and while his endorsement of Zionism has long been documented and the contents of the letter were previously known, the original signed copy has only recently been rediscovered, more than a century after it was written.
nternal records from the National Library indicate that the letter was in its collection since at least 1938, though it was never publicly cataloged or accessible to researchers until now. The exact path by which the letter arrived at the library remains unclear.
“N.E.B. Ezra passed away in 1936. The letter’s arrival by 1938 suggests that Ezra himself may have donated it, or someone else sent it to the library after recognizing its historical importance,” National Library archivist Rachel Misrati stated at the time.
Sun and other Chinese leaders maintained warm relations with Jewish communities and figures, both locally and internationally. Many of these connections were forged during Sun’s years of exile before the Qing dynasty’s fall. A notable example is Morris “Two-Gun” Cohen, a Polish-born Jewish bodyguard and advisor to Sun, who was also a staunch Zionist.
Sun’s support for Zionism was not unique among national leaders of the time. Many prominent political figures expressed similar sentiments, driven by both ideological alignment and practical considerations - in 1946, Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh spent several days staying in the same hotel as David Ben-Gurion in Paris, where the two would often visit each other.
Legacy
Sun Yat-sen is still widely revered in Taiwan as the founding father of the Republic of China (ROC), though his legacy has evolved over time. His status remains prominent in official state narratives, but the way he is perceived has changed, particularly as Taiwanese identity has developed over the years.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of the mainland has also claimed Sun Yat-sen as part of its own revolutionary lineage, portraying him as an early forerunner of communism who opposed imperialism and laid the groundwork for modern China.
t’s been a good run: Khaw (left) presenting the handover documents to Bukit Aman NCID deputy director of Narcotics (Intelligence/Operations) DCP Mat Zani @ Mohd Salahuddin Che Ali who will be acting as the new Bukit Aman NCID director. Looking on is Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay (centre). — Bernama
