Jumbo rampage destroys crops
A HERD of wild elephants has wreaked havoc on a coconut plantation in Johor, destroying 6,000 trees and causing estimated losses of RM1.8mil over the past nine months, Kosmo! reported.
The intrusions, which began in October last year, have devastated the Sedili Kechil Food Production Zone in Kota Tinggi involving crops cultivated by 32 entrepreneurs and six farming organisations.
Pengerang Area Farmers' Organisation managing director Mohamad Azhar Din said 6,171 coconut trees were damaged.
'These elephants are believed to roam in small groups of three to five and typically strike during the night until dawn,' he said, adding that the most recent incidents on June 16 and 17 destroyed 380 trees and caused RM90,000 in losses.
'Those trees were planted in late 2023 and expected to begin bearing fruit by the end of next year.'
He said numerous mitigation efforts had been implemented, including building fences and drainage systems and conducting patrols, as recommended by the Wildlife and National Parks Department.
He warned that continued attacks by the elephants could undermine the state government's agrofood development.
Previously, the plantation had only faced threats from monkeys, wild boars and rats.
> Popular entertainer Nabil Ahmad has touched hearts online with his plan to transform his family home in Mambau, Negri Sembilan, into a madrasah.
The multi-talented 42-year-old, whose full name is Ahmad Nabil Ahmad, shared on social media that the dream is close to becoming a reality.
'My mother had expressed her desire for our family home to become a madrasah for religious learning and events.
'She also hoped it could provide a source of income for our family as the land is ours,' he told Berita Harian.
He said renovations are slated to start early next year, with the existing home to be demolished in order to make way for a small mosque.
'I also plan to build a tahfiz and provide accommodation for students and the ustaz. For starters, we will accept only male students and offer free Quran classes,' he said.
Nabil added that he would consult the Negri Sembilan Islamic Religious Council on the process of land endowment and official establishment of the madrasah.
(The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.)
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Malay Mail
10 hours ago
- Malay Mail
China's Gen Z women revive ‘nushu', a secret script of strength and sisterhood
JIANGYONG (China), Aug 11 — At a studio in central China's Hunan province, a teacher grips an ink brush, gently writing characters of a secret script created by women centuries ago and now being embraced by a new generation. Nushu, meaning 'women's script', emerged around 400 years ago. Barred from attending school, the women secretly learned Chinese characters and adapted them into Nushu, using the script to communicate with each other through letters, song and embroidery. Passed down through generations of women in the remote and idyllic county of Jiangyong, it is now gaining popularity nationwide among Chinese women who view it as a symbol of strength. 'Nushu' instructor Jiang Yanying conducting a pronunciation lesson in a hotel conference room repurposed as a temporary classroom in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. — AFP pic Student Pan Shengwen said Nushu offered a safe way for women to communicate with each other. 'It essentially creates a sanctuary for us,' the 21-year-old told AFP. 'We can express our thoughts, confide in our sisters and talk about anything.' Compared to Chinese characters, Nushu words are less boxy, more slender and shaped like willow leaves. 'When writing... your breathing must be calm, and only then can your brush be steady,' Pan said. This picture taken on April 14, 2025 shows a student holding a book with 'Nushu' characters during a workshop in Beijing. — AFP pic On Instagram-like Xiaohongshu, the hashtag 'Nushu' has been viewed over 73.5 million times — mostly featuring young women sharing tattoos and other modern work incorporating the old script. Student He Jingying told AFP she had been enrolled in a Nushu class by her mother and that writing it brought her 'a deep sense of calm'. 'It feels like when the brush touches the paper, a kind of strength flows into you.' Against 'injustice' Nushu is more than just a writing system — it represents the lived experiences of rural women from the county, Zhao Liming, a professor at Beijing's Tsinghua University, told AFP. 'It was a society dominated by men,' said Zhao, who has been studying Nushu for four decades. 'Their works cried out against this injustice,' she said. People learning 'Nushu' pronunciation in a hotel conference room repurposed as a temporary classroom in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. — AFP pic The words are read in the local dialect, making it challenging for native Chinese speakers not from the region to learn it. Teacher He Yuejuan said the writing is drawing more attention because of its elegance and rarity. 'It seems to be quite highly regarded, especially among many students in the arts,' He told AFP outside her gallery, which sells colourful merchandise, including earrings and shawls with Nushu prints. As a Jiangyong native, He said Nushu was 'part of everyday life' growing up. After passing strict exams, she became one of 12 government-designated 'inheritors' of Nushu and is now qualified to teach it. The photo taken on July 21, 2025 shows 'Nushu' inheritor He Yuejuan (right) displaying a 'Nushu' calligraphy work at her workshop at Goulan Yao Village in Jiangyong county, southern China's Hunan province. — AFP pic 'Really special' An hour's drive away, around a hundred Nushu learners packed into a hotel room to attend a week-long workshop organised by local authorities trying to promote the script. Zou Kexin, one of the many participants, told AFP she had read about Nushu online and wanted to 'experience it in person'. 'It's a unique writing system belonging to women, which makes it really special,' said Zou, 22, who attends a university in south-western Sichuan province. Animation student Tao Yuxi, 23, one of the handful of men attending the workshop, told AFP he was learning Nushu to gain inspiration for his creative work. He said his aunt was initially confused about why he was learning Nushu, as it is not typically associated with men. As it represents part of China's cultural heritage, Nushu has to be passed down, he said. 'It's something that everyone should work to preserve — regardless of whether they are women or men.' — AFP
The Star
16 hours ago
- The Star
How tin toys geared up manufacturing success
In the world of collectible figures, Marvin Chan stands out for his love of mechanical tin toys — a passion that is a compelling reminder of China's baby steps to becoming a manufacturing giant. Born in Hong Kong in the mid-1960s, Chan is not simply a collector — he's a preserver of memories, colorful industrial design and Chinese craftsmanship. "From a young age, I had the chance to experience toys from all over the world, including Chinese-made tin toys. Though I loved toys, I never imagined that my life would one day be intertwined with them," he said. That connection deepened in the late 1980s during a trip to Kota Tinggi, Malaysia. Wandering into a small toy shop near a bus interchange, Chan came across a few old Chinese tin toys produced in the early 1980s. The sight, and familiar "click-clack" sound of their mechanisms awoke dormant memories. "It felt as though time had reversed," he recalled. "I could once again experience the pure joy of playing with these toys as a child." In 1994, his interest turned into a mission after visiting the legendary Japanese tin toy collector Teruhisa Kitahara in Yokohama. Kitahara's meticulously curated collection stirred a sense of urgency in Chan to try and preserve a chapter of China's nascent manufacturing past. "Seeing his collection, carefully curated over more than 20 years, left me deeply shaken," he recalled. "As a Chinese, I suddenly realized that these seemingly simple toys carried the memories of an entire era. I felt it was my responsibility to preserve this cultural heritage." Hong Kong to Shanghai As an international business hub, Hong Kong in the 1960s and 70s had a wide selection of toys from around the globe on sale. Japanese tinplate robots, American action figures, mechanical toys made on the Chinese mainland, and locally manufactured plastic figures shared the same shelves in the city's toy stores. "All of these toys made up the most wonderful fragments of my childhood memories," Chan said. One toy in particular, remains unforgettable — a Japanese-made wind-up tin Ultraman Chan's parents gifted him after he did well in a school exam. "Its red and silver figure, with a head that could turn, made me very happy. Every time I wound it up, it felt like I was fighting alongside Ultraman to protect peace in the galaxy. That toy was priceless to me," he said. Inspired by the romanticized version of Shanghai he saw in the classic Hong Kong TV drama The Bund, Chan went to the city in 1998 and 2008, he split his time between Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore, researching Chinese toy history and exploring manufacturing partnerships. In 2005, he launched the Museum of Shanghai Toys in Singapore, displaying his collection of over 2,000 toys made in Shanghai from 1910 to 1970. But the opportunity he had been waiting for arrived in 2008, when a tin toy factory in Shanghai was seeking a collaborator. Chan decided to relocate to Shanghai and devote himself to reviving the city's fading tin toy industry. Later, he took over a tin toy factory and founded the Saint John company, designing and manufacturing items himself. Shanghai has long been a toy manufacturing powerhouse, according to Chan. By the 1950s, Shanghai's tin toy industry was flourishing — technically innovative, nationally influential, and export-driven. Companies developed new metal toys that went beyond the wind-up models of earlier decades, injecting new vitality into a rapidly evolving market. In 1965, Shanghai's tin toys were showcased internationally at China's first toy exhibition in Hong Kong. The products delighted children across the globe with their clever mechanisms and imaginative forms. Even by the early 1980s, tin toys remained a dominant force in Shanghai's toy market. "From an artistic perspective, vintage tin toys — both the toys themselves and their packaging — often featured hand-painted art," Chan said. "The vibrant colors, smooth lines, and clever construction gave these toys not only charm, but real artistic value." Profitable hobby Growing up in Tianjin, Sun Yonghao was shy and introspective and different from the other kids in his neighborhood. But when the clock struck six in the evening, the bookish child would rush to the living room to watch his favorite cartoons. The iconic Japanese series Gundam, created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and first aired in 1979 with its towering robots and epic battles in space, left an indelible mark on the young boy's mind. The Gundam robots, detailed and powerful and each with their own rich backstory, felt like something straight out of a dream. "It wasn't just about the robots," Sun recalls. "It was the entire universe they created — the battles, the stories, the characters. There was a depth to it that I hadn't seen in other cartoons." As the years passed, his love for Gundam only grew stronger, evolving from childhood fascination into something that would shape his entire future. In the summer of 2002, at the age of 15, Sun finally realized a long-held dream. After saving his pocket money for an entire year, he had 220 yuan ($30.65) and made his first-ever purchase, an electroplated TV Wing Gundam Zero model. That Gundam model became Sun's most treasured possession. It wasn't just something he displayed on a shelf — it became a part of his identity, a tangible connection to his childhood passions. After completing his studies, Sun entered the automotive industry, where he worked for 13 years. As his career progressed and his income grew, so did his collection. Today, Sun owns over 2,000 Gundam models, which have cost him more than 1 million yuan. "I love spending time with my collection, even though I'm busy with my job and my responsibilities as a husband, son, and father," he said. "For me, toys aren't just relics of the past — they're bridges to a timeless joy. The happiness they bring is the same joy I felt as a child." Three years ago, Sun decided to leave the automotive industry behind and turn his lifelong love of toys into a career. He began sharing his collection on social media, where it quickly gained a large following. Today, he is the chief operating officer of ILoveToy, a Chinese toy brand that started in 2008 with online shops before expanding into physical stores. The company's goal was to create an immersive, hands-on shopping experience for its growing customer base. "We have tables and chairs in the stores, offering people a space to play with the toys," Sun said. Now, ILoveToy boasts 18 stores in 10 cities across China, including Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai. "I wanted to do something that would bring people like me happiness every day," he said. "Toys, particularly my Gundam collection, have always been a source of pure joy for me." No longer just an occasional hobby, his passion for Gundam and toys has become an all-encompassing pursuit. Sun's collection has expanded to include rare action figures and limited-edition models. With each new addition, he finds deeper joy in preserving these pieces of nostalgia. Zhang Yiyi, 32, also enjoys collecting toys. For him, it isn't just a hobby but a way to experience a carefree childhood he believes he never really had. "It is also a reminder that it's never too late to find joy in the little things," Zhang said. Born and raised in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, Zhang now lives in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, and is an influencer and toy designer. "Toys can really help alleviate the stress and anxiety that come from life and work. They let me immerse myself and feel happy. Just having them on display at home makes me feel good. It's a way for me to release my emotions," said Zhang, who started collecting toys in of his favorite series is from the animated movie franchise, Toy Story, which he described as "a world full of fun". He said thanks to the rising popularity of designer toys, many manufacturers have made many toys and figurines, or collectibles, that are from his childhood. Zhang has released 10 series of toy designs, including Yibeiji, featuring a chicken image inspired by his zodiac animal, the rooster, and Crazy Botanical Garden, featuring animated images of various plants. "I created those images out of pure personal interest and I didn't expect fans to love them," he said. "The world needs toys, and so do the grown-ups, because who can live without joy and a little fun to pursue?" After the green frog Beyond their mechanical beauty, tin toys were cultural touchstones. For children born in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, toys like the ubiquitous wind-up hopping green tin frog were like old friends. Today, Chan is partnering with artisans and designers in Shanghai to breathe new life into these toys. His creations honor the past but are made for the present — beautiful, functional, joyful objects creating memories for a new generation. He is also the vice-president of the Shanghai Putuo Collectibles &Heritage Association, which was launched in 2002. The association is committed to the popularization of folk art collections, and the promotion of collecting cultural items as diverse as comics, transportation tickets, and toys. On June 1, the association launched a new organization, the Research Committee of Modern and Contemporary Toys, to promote the inheritance and innovation of toy culture for a new generation. It plans to collaborate with academic institutions and collectors to jointly delve into and widely spread toy culture, according to Chan, who is the director of the new branch association. Chan leads the in-depth exploration of toy history, the refinement of cultural values, the organization of themed exhibitions and academic seminars, "all to enhance public recognition and dissemination of Chinese toy culture", he said. The collectible toy market has entered a stage of explosive growth, according to the 2021 China Collectible Toy Industry Market Insight Analysis, released by Analysys International, a company that focuses on internet sales and products. The boom is driven by the rapid growth of Chinese residents' income and the collectible toy market. It's dominated by intellectual property with a focus on product design and platform-based channel operations, the report said. In recent years, the annual growth rate of the Chinese collectible toy market has remained above 35 percent. It is expected that by 2025, the market size will exceed 150 billion yuan. The report also pointed out the difference between collectible toys and designer toys. Collectors focus on rare or vintage toys, often seeking to complete a set or own valuable items, such as older action figures, model cars, or dolls. Designer toys, or trendy toys, such as blind boxes, often represent limited-edition collaborations with well-known brands, pop culture icons, or artists. They are marketed to a younger audience that values exclusivity, innovation and trendiness. "Some types of designer toys experience only brief popularity and fade away over time — they're trendy for a moment but are soon forgotten. Others, however, manage to stand the test of time and become classic collectibles that are appreciated and sought after by people of all ages," the report said. Chan was more philosophical, saying people are always trying to explain why everyone likes toys. "But sometimes, it's simple. We like them because they make us happy, and that's enough," he said. - China Daily/ANN
The Sun
17 hours ago
- The Sun
Ahmad Tasnim sole Techno-Huffaz graduate at PSA polytechnic
SHAH ALAM: Ahmad Tasnim Fathullah Ahmad Hafidz emerged as the sole graduate of the Techno-Huffaz programme at Politeknik Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (PSA). He completed the five-semester Quranic memorisation course after 10 of his peers dropped out due to various challenges. Ahmad Tasnim, who also earned a Diploma in Electronic Communication Engineering, admitted feeling disheartened as his friends withdrew one by one. 'Initially, 11 students enrolled, but by the fourth semester, nine dropped the subject, and one failed the fifth-semester exams,' he said. Balancing Techno-Huffaz with academic studies was tough, but parental support kept him motivated. He spoke after receiving his certificate at PSA's 26th convocation ceremony at Dewan Al-Jazari. Adapting to PSA's environment as a new student three years ago posed additional challenges for him and his peers. The Techno-Huffaz programme requires students to manage both technical studies and Quranic memorisation, including tajwid and recitation. Ahmad Tasnim plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in Medical Electronic Engineering at PSA. He is open to mentoring future Techno-Huffaz students interested in the programme. Launched in 2017, Techno-Huffaz is a collaboration between PSA, JAKIM, and Darul Quran to produce holistic technocrat huffaz. To date, 16 graduates have earned both a polytechnic diploma and JAKIM's Tahfiz Al-Quran certification. Nineteen new students have enrolled for the 2025/2026 session. The 22-year-old from Pasir Mas, Kelantan, was among 937 graduates honoured at PSA's convocation. Since 1997, PSA has produced 44,509 graduates. PSA director Zainah Rujihan and Panasonic's Datuk Moktar Mohd Salleh attended as guests of honour. - Bernama
