Mustapha's son rejoins politics at 75
Published on: Sat, Aug 09, 2025 Text Size: Kahar (right) submits his application to Jeffrey with Jerry at left. Kota Kinabalu: Former Banggi assemblyman Datuk Amir Kahar Tun Datu Mustapha has re-entered the political arena, joining the Sabah-based Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star). The 75-year-old five-term state assemblyman and three-term MP for Marudu, submitted his membership form to Star President Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan at a low-key ceremony here on Wednesday, witnessed by senior party figure Datuk Jerry Ambuting Mohd Said.
Advertisement Amir Kahar is the son of the late Tun Datu Mustapha Datu Harun, Sabah's first Head of State and third Chief Minister. Despite his long absence from active politics, Amir said the gravity of Sabah's economic crisis and the pervasiveness of corruption compelled him to return. 'I'm less than 25 years away from turning 100, yet here I am, coming back, because I'm alarmed. 'This isn't a war we're fighting, its economic collapse. Corruption is everywhere. If not for that, I'd simply live out my days in peace,' he said.
Advertisement Describing his comeback as a moral and spiritual obligation, Amir said he had spent much of the past year reflecting on the path forward. 'This is my way of doing good, by returning to the political fight against corruption. 'I've thought long and hard, and I'm standing again with Dr Jeffrey not just a friend, but a brother-in-struggle. We've fought together since 1986. We were only ever separated by those who feared our unity.' He also took aim at the state's entrenched poverty, dismissing official categories of 'hardcore' or otherwise. 'To me, poverty is poverty and Sabah, once rich in resources, is today the poorest state in the country,' he said. Calling for a united front to protect the future of Sabah's youth, Amir urged the people not to remain passive. 'We elders have tasted hardship and prosperity. But the young those 15, 20, 30 years old they don't know it yet. It's our duty to ensure they have a future. These hands carry our fate, for better or worse,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Nvidia, AMD to pay US 15% of China AI chip sales
(FILES) People attend a Nvidia production preview exhibition in Taipei on May 21, 2025. Chinese authorities summoned US technology giant Nvidia on July 31, 2025 to discuss "serious security issues" discovered involving its chips, the country's top internet regulator said. (Photo by I-HWA CHENG / AFP) New York: Nvidia Corp and Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) have agreed to pay 15% of their revenues from Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) chip sales to the US government in a deal to secure export licences, an unusual arrangement that may unnerve both US companies and Beijing. Nvidia plans to share 15% of the revenue from sales of its H20 AI accelerator in China, according to a person familiar with the matter. AMD will deliver the same share from MI308 revenues, the person added, asking for anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The arrangement reflects US President Donald Trump's consistent effort to engineer a financial payout for America in return for concessions on trade. His administration has shown a willingness to relax trade conditions like tariffs in return for giant investments in the United States – as with Apple Inc's pledge to spend US$600bil on domestic manufacturing. But such a narrow, select export tax has little precedent in modern corporate history. Beijing, which has grown increasingly hostile to the idea of Chinese firms deploying the H20, is unlikely to warm to the idea of a chip tax. Yuyuantantian, a social media account affiliated with state-run China Central Television that regularly signals Beijing's thinking about trade, on Sunday slammed the chip's supposed security vulnerabilities and inefficiency. 'This seeming quid pro quo is unprecedented from an export control perspective. The arrangement risks invalidating the national security rationale for US export controls,' said Jacob Feldgoise, a researcher at the Washington-based Centre for Security and Emerging Technology. It 'will likely undermine the US' position when negotiating with allies to implement complementary controls,' he added. 'Allies may not believe US policymakers if they are willing to trade away those same national security concerns for economic concessions – either from US companies or foreign governments.' A Nvidia spokesperson said the company follows US export rules, adding that while it hasn't shipped H20 chips to China for months, it hopes the rules will allow US companies to compete in China. AMD didn't respond to a request for comment. The Financial Times earlier reported the development. It followed a separate report from the same outlet that the Commerce Department had begun issuing H20 licences last week, days after Nvidia chief executive officer Jensen Huang met with Trump. Huang has lobbied long and hard for the lifting of restrictions, arguing that walling China off will only slow the spread of American technology and encourage local rivals such as Huawei Technologies Co. 'It's a strategic bargaining chip' that tightens Washington's grip on a critical tech sphere during trade negotiations with China, said Hebe Chen, an analyst with Vantage Markets in Melbourne. 'Over time, this hurdle for chips entering China will likely deter Nvidia and AMD from deeper expansion in the world's largest chip-importing market, while giving local Chinese producers a clear edge to capture market share and accelerate domestic semiconductor innovation,' Chen said If Washington goes ahead with the tax, it should funnel some capital to the United States – but not an enormous amount in relative terms. Both Nvidia and AMD have said it'll take time to ramp back up production of their China-specific products – even if orders return to previous levels, which is uncertain. Nvidia raked in US$4.6bil of revenue from the H20 in its quarter ended April 27 – days after new restrictions on shipping the AI accelerator to China were imposed. It said it had been unable to ship US$2.5bil of H20 China revenue in that period because of the new rules. That implies it would have gotten more than US$7bil in H20 sales to China during the period. If it can return to that level, the US government will stand to get about US$1bil a quarter from its deal. AMD could generate US$3bil to US$5bil of revenue this year if restrictions were lifted, Morgan Stanley estimates. Chinese alternatives such as Huawei's Ascend chips now account for 20% to 30% of domestic demand, it reckoned. 'The US government clearly needs the money given its deficits and eagerness to collect tariffs,' said Vey-Sern Ling, managing director at Union Bancaire Privee in Singapore. 'But the complication is China's accusations about H20 chips containing backdoors, which could be a negotiation tactic to highlight that the country is not that 'hard up' for US chips,' Ling added. — Bloomberg
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Monday (Aug 11, 2025)
Malaysia: * Malaysia's fertility rate more than halved since 1980 * Those with taxable incomes over RM100,000 a year contributed to 86% of individual income tax collected in 2023, says Finance Ministry * Court of Appeal defers decision on Indira Gandhi's lawsuit against IGP * Alor Setar MP upset after motion to discuss Zara Qairina case in Parliament rejected * Zara Qairina reburied in Sipitang after eight-hour post-mortem / Lawyer confirms injuries seen on Zara Qairina during autopsy * Zara Qairina death probe: No one will be shielded, deputy minister tells Parliament * Don't dismiss public fears, concern over Zara Qairina's death, says Nik Nazmi / Police form task force to take over Zara Qairana probe * Woman who rammed car into policeman charged with attempted murder * Johor pioneering wastewater recycling in data centre operations, says MB * Cops question another five over eHati motivational event * Education Ministry to carry out safety audit at all schools with immediate effect * Probe of Pamela Ling's abduction still ongoing, Saifuddin tells Dewan Rakyat * Malaysia, Senegal working to deepen bilateral ties, says Anwar * Nuclear energy assessment underway to boost future power mix, says Fadillah * Snack seller nabbed for allegedly sexually assaulting six-year-old in Jasin * Alor Setar MP upset after motion to discuss Zara Qairina case in Parliament rejected A Boeing Co. 737-800 aircraft, front, at PT Garuda Indonesia's maintenance hangar at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Indonesia, on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. Garuda is scheduled to report second-quarter results on Aug. 13. -- Photographer: Dimas Ardian/Bloomberg Singapore: * Four Malaysians among 79 arrested in island-wide drug bust in Singapore * Singapore can deliver and thrive in a fragmented global economy: Morgan Stanley analysts * Singapore: Lower-wage retail workers to receive up to 6% pay bump from Sept 1 * Singapore govt asks inactive political parties including Barisan Sosialis for proof of existence * Almost 100,000 Malaysians have renounced citizenship for Singapore's since 2015, says Home Ministry * Hyflux issued preference shares to fund Tuaspring as it had problems getting bank loans: Prosecution * Singapore-based cancer biotech firm Hummingbird Bioscience to target inflammatory diseases with precision drugs * Singaporean actress Michelle Chia marries 41YO boyfriend before 50th birthday Indonesia: * Indonesia expands military as defence budget soars / Massive TNI restructuring prompts militarisation, budget concerns * Islamic court in Indonesia's Aceh sentences two men to public caning over sexual acts * Indonesia's Mt Rinjani reopens hiking trails with stricter safety measures after several mishap incidents * Indonesian star Kris Dayanti, 50, pursues university studies: 'No such thing as too late' * Semarang cop gets 15 years in prison for fatally shooting teen * Indonesia eyes 'sovereign AI fund' to drive development, document shows * Scientists find possible artefacts of oldest known Wallacean hominids in Indonesia In this photo, taken from video and provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, a damaged Chinese Coast Guard ship is seen after accidentally colliding with a Chinese Navy vessel while chasing a Philippine fisheries boat near Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. -- Photo: Philippine Coast Guard via AP Thailand: * Thailand to compensate Malaysian victims of Bangkok fire attack / Families urge Thailand to transfer Malaysian burn victims * Thai soldiers injured in landmine blast near the Cambodia border, confirms govt * Thai users top Asia and rank second globally for TikTok use, says We Are Social * Thai asset rally set to extend on tariff relief and steady foreign inflows * Thailand files Ottawa Convention complaints over Cambodian landmine incidents * Chinese EV makers vie for Indonesia, Thailand sales; Japanese rivals fear market share loss Philippines: * Marcos says Philippines would be dragged 'kicking and screaming' into Taiwan war * Chinese vessels collide while pursuing Philippine boat in South China Sea: Manila * Marcos: 64% of flood-control projects lack clear descriptions * Philippine central bank signals August rate cut * Emerging Markets - Asian currencies steady with US data, China tariff deadline in focus * Deepfakes stir Duterte controversy - Days after the Philippine Senate declined to launch the impeachment trial To Lam, Vietnam's Communist Party general secretary, attends an event at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. Lam is the first foreign leader to visit South Korea since Lee Jae Myung took office in early June, a trip Lee described as a demonstration of Vietnam's strategic importance to South Korea. -- Photographer: SeongJoon Cho / Bloomberg Vietnam: * Vietnam's durian featured at first Asean–China Durian Festival * Vietnam naval ship departs for Asean multilateral exercise in Penang * Trump says he hopes China buys four times as much US soybeans * Can Tesla, VinFast and other foreign EV firms thrive in the Indian market? * South Korea, Vietnam leaders pledge closer ties as US tariffs shake up trade * Exclusive-Fistful of dollars and rice for Vietnam farmers displaced for $1.5 billion Trump golf club Myanmar: * 'Dormant bombs': unique genes that make us smart may also fuel cancer, China study shows * Myanmar ethnic group vows to block elections in its enclave * LMC-funded solar power supply project completed in Myanmar's Ayeyarwady region * Man found dead with wrists tied to fence post on riverbank in Myanmar's Mon State Journalists take photographs inside the newly built Techo International Airport in Cambodia's Kandal province on Monday, August 11, 2025. -- Photo by TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP Cambodia: * 'Cheap shots': Cambodia slams Thailand for 'blatant ceasefire violations' including border patrols and slingshot attacks * Why Cambodia's scam crackdown is unlikely to target masterminds * Thai-Cambodian border calm, many areas safe for return: Official * Thais struck north-western Cambodian province with heavy ordnance over 1,500 times: CMAC Laos: * A Lao women dies during Thailand-Cambodia border conflict, confirms Thai and Laos govts * Scenic Ngoy district steps up competition for Luang Prabang tourists * Japan donates 1.5 billion yen in high-tech road maintenance equipment to boost Lao infrastructure Brunei: * Brunei's huge Muara Port expansion project to be completed by 2027 * Youth PhotoWalk in Brunei marks International Photography Day * Yayang 'meows' her way into the judges' hearts in Brunei A vehicle advances through a flooded road in Kumamoto, southern Japan, on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. - Photo: Kyodo News via AP AseanPlus: * Malaysia urges nuclear-weapon states to sign, ratify SEANWFZ protocol, says DPM Fadillah * Johor is first state to implement mobile app to distribute subsidised cooking oil * Malaysians more upbeat on ageing, survey finds * Revelot releases 'durian' watch in tribute to the King of Fruits * Malaysia hosts Asean-China meetings on South China Sea in Kuching * Bangladesh keen on Proton's investment in car manufacturing * Malaysian singer Atilia Haron lives life with clarity and creativity * JC3 to develop Malaysian taxonomy on sustainable finance aligning with Asean taxonomy * Torrential rains in southern Japan cause flooding, mudslides, and travel disruptions * Nearly 1.8 million tourists from China visited Malaysia in first five months of 2025 * Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's group threatens to 'kill' anyone working with Salman Khan * Several people are missing in southwestern Japan as heavy rain continues to lash the province * China's exports defy trade war headwinds in July as growth surges to 7.2% * Bangladesh to procure 40,000 body cameras ahead of general election * Gold slips 1% as investors focus on US-Russia talks on Ukraine * 'My boss raped me': Japanese prosecutor fights for justice * Indian police arrest fake police running 'crime bureau' * New Zealand PM doesn't expect to win US tariff reprieve * Taiwanese heartthrob Greg Hsu completes military service, fans rejoice * Australia plans to recognise Palestinian state within days, Sydney Morning Herald reports * Rahul Gandhi among opposition leaders detained during protest against India election panel * Cow dung to drive cars 5,500km in India without causing pollution * Cricket for all rolls out in Bhutan's monasteries * North Korea warns of reprisal against South Korea-US drills amid signs of tensions easing * Three million South Koreans sign refusal of life-prolonging treatment * Tourist spots in S. Korea face complaints over rude service, price gouging during peak season * Chinese state media says Nvidia H20 chips not safe for China * Two feared dead as others missing as torrential rain batters southwestern Japan * Pakistan army chief Munir visits US again as ties gain momentum * Nvidia to pay US 15% of AI chip sales to China: reports * Shares edge higher in Asia, Nikkei futures near record top * Japan's deepening political woes cloud budget, rate hike timing * South Korean president to pardon former Justice Minister Cho Kuk * Bangladesh dengue deaths top 100, August could be worse * Trump suggests China reduce US Trade deficit by buying soybeans * Trump escalates crime rhetoric ahead of Washington crackdown announcement
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Epstein partner Ghislaine Maxwell's grand jury records to remain sealed
NEW YORK: A US judge denied on Monday the Justice Department's bid to unseal records from the grand jury that indicted the late financier Jeffrey Epstein's partner Ghislaine Maxwell on sex trafficking charges, writing that the records did not answer lingering questions from the public about their crimes or Epstein's death. Manhattan-based US District Judge Paul Engelmayer, who reviewed the transcripts of the witness testimony heard by the grand jury and other evidence the panel saw, wrote that the government's assertion that the materials would reveal meaningful new information about Epstein's and Maxwell's crimes was "demonstrably false". "A member of the public familiar with the Maxwell trial record who reviewed the grand jury materials that the government proposes to unseal would thus learn next to nothing new," Engelmayer wrote. "Insofar as the motion to unseal implies that the grand jury materials are an untapped mine load of undisclosed information about Epstein or Maxwell or confederates, they are definitely not that," the judge wrote. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her 2021 conviction on sex-trafficking charges. Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. He had pleaded not guilty. Neither the Justice Department nor a lawyer for Maxwell immediately responded to requests for comment. President Donald Trump last month instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of the Epstein and Maxwell grand jury material, as he sought to quell discontent from his base of conservative supporters and congressional Democrats over his administration's handling of documents from the cases. Trump, a Republican, had promised to make public Epstein-related files if re-elected and accused Democrats of covering up the truth. But in July, the Justice Department said a previously touted Epstein client list did not exist, angering Trump's supporters.
