Latest news with #Benedick
The Star
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Good relations between leaders ensure development, says Ewon
KOTA KINABALU: Good relations between assemblymen and government leaders are beneficial, says Penampang MP Datuk Ewon Benedick. He said that close relations between both parties help ensure continued development and smooth organisation of programmes for the people, as seen in Penampang over the years. He then added that the same applies to other districts with amicable working relations with government leaders, ensuring development and policies for those constituencies are achieved. Benedick made these remarks at the Kepayan Kaamatan Festival on Sunday (June 1), attended by leaders including Kepayan assemblyman Jannie Lasimbang and PH leaders Steven Shim, Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, Datuk Chan Foong Hin, Vivian Wong, and Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii. "Each time there is an issue that needs attention in Kepayan, I will sit with the assemblyman to find solutions. We do not work in silos but as a team," he said. He mentioned that some ongoing projects in Penampang include the flood mitigation project, Terian-Buayan road upgrading, bridge construction in Babagon, and the PANTAS programme in Kg. Togudon. A Penampang Development Plan 2024-2035 is also included in the proposals for the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13), Benedick added. "I am confident that with these strategic plans and work relations among various parties, including the federal and state governments, Penampang will continue to receive better allocations and development benefits in RMK13," he said. Many economic and development initiatives have been implemented in Penampang, including the National Entrepreneurship Institute (INSKEN), Tekun Nasional, and the Tamu Desa project. On Kaamatan, Benedick said the festival is celebrated by people from all cultural and social backgrounds, in line with the 'Kaamatan for All' theme chosen for this year.
The Star
10-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Kuskop launches one-district, one industry showcase in Borneo
KOTA KINABALU: To support post-pandemic recovery, the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (Kuskop) has launched the one-district, one industry (SDSI) Borneo Region showcase, boosting local entrepreneurs to strengthen businesses and create jobs. Held at the Tawau Municipal Council Square on Saturday (May 10), the event brought together over 120 entrepreneurs from Sabah and Sarawak to promote products and expand market reach. Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said merging the separate SDSI showcases for Sabah and Sarawak was aimed at creating a bigger impact. 'This year, we decided to combine the showcases for Sabah and Sarawak into a single event to create a bigger impact. That's why I visited several SDSI booths recently, including those from Sarawak, to see how they are participating in this initiative,' he said. To support this effort, Kuskop introduced the SDSI 2.0 guidelines to improve the programme's structure, making it easier for small businesses to access support, including training, market access, and collaboration with government agencies. It has also allocated RM1.5mil this year for SDSI 2.0 entrepreneurs in Sabah, channelled through the Sabah Department of Entrepreneur and Industrial Development to strengthen the local economy and reduce poverty. Benedick, who co-chairs a joint coordination committee with the Sabah Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development, said this collaboration is critical for supporting small businesses and driving economic growth. 'We want to ensure that not only SDSI entrepreneurs but also other small and medium enterprises (PMKS) benefit from this collaboration,' he said. He encouraged SDSI entrepreneurs to form cooperatives to strengthen their business networks and improve access to financial support. 'We want SDSI entrepreneurs in each district or community involved in the SDSI programme to form cooperatives, which can further accelerate their growth and increase their participation, not just in Sabah but across the country,' he said. During the event, Benedick presented RM19.098mil in grants to five recipients, including entrepreneurs and cooperatives, as part of a broader effort to strengthen the SDSI ecosystem. The showcase featured a wide range of local products, including food and beverages, health and wellness items, handicrafts, and tourism-related services. The event also included attractions like the Jualan Murah Madani, offering over 200 daily essentials at discounts of up to 40%, and the SDSI Borneo Creative Video Competition, encouraging entrepreneurs to showcase their products through digital storytelling. Food enthusiasts enjoyed the Selera Bawah Bayu section, celebrating the diverse culinary heritage of Sabah and Sarawak, while those seeking financial support could access the Biaya initiative, connecting businesses with conventional and Islamic financial institutions, development banks, and alternative financing companies. Live product demonstrations allowed businesses to engage directly with customers, while business matching sessions connected entrepreneurs with major local retailers, providing valuable market access for small and medium enterprises. The Satu Daerah Satu Industri programme aligns with the Madani economic framework by promoting community-based economic development, supporting locally-made products, and creating job opportunities for local residents. Benedick expressed hope that the Satu Daerah Satu Industri Wilayah Borneo showcase will not only boost the local economy but also inspire greater public support for local products, creating a lasting impact on the economic wellbeing of the community.
The Star
04-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Sabah polls: Focus on collaborative politics, not on personal attacks, says Upko president
KOTA KINABALU: The 17th Sabah state election must not become a battlefield of personal attacks but should focus on mature, collaborative politics instead, says United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) president Datuk Ewon Benedick. 'This election cannot be reduced to who shouts the loudest, who sensationalises the most, or who preys on opponents' weaknesses. It must be about unity. It must be about vision,' he said during Upko's 31st anniversary celebration in Kota Kinabalu, recently. Benedick, who also chairs Sabah Pakatan Harapan, confirmed that its internal negotiations and informal discussions with other political blocs are ongoing. 'As a Pakatan component party, Upko is committed to contesting in the state polls, not only to defend Kadamaian but also to expand our representation in the state assembly,' he said. The Kadamaian seat, which he currently holds, was the party's sole victory in the 2020 state election. Beyond electoral strategy, Benedick stressed the importance of rebuilding trust in public institutions and instilling a stronger sense of ownership among Sabahans in their state government. 'Since 1963, when Sabah joined in the formation of the Malaysian federation, we have played our part in nation-building. But to strengthen Malaysia, we must first strengthen Sabah, beginning with how Sabahans relate to their own institutions,' he said. He called for institutional reforms to better reflect Sabah's diverse society, including improvements in state civil service composition, statutory appointments, scholarship allocation, service delivery, and the state's legal and interfaith frameworks. Benedick also warned that confrontational politics will only derail the state's development and undermine collective progress. 'Sabah cannot afford to be pulled backwards by divisive rhetoric. We must move forward together,' he said.
The Guardian
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Much Ado About Nothing review – RSC boots the action to elite Italian football in a play of two halves
Suggesting that spectacular visual metaphor is the Royal Shakespeare Company's new house style, a Hamlet set on a cruise liner is followed by a Much Ado About Nothing based in elite Italian football. After the National Theatre's Gareth Southgate bio-drama Dear England, this must be the first season that both big subsidised companies have filled stages with young men in replica club shirts and jockstraps. Before this Much of the Day starts, a TV sports feed tells us that FC Messina have beaten Madrid FC 3-2 in a European final, with a hat-trick from young winger Claudio. But cocky journeyman midfielder Benedick – jibed as 'Signor Own-Goal', replacing Shakespeare's sexualised insult 'Mountanto' – refuses to be interviewed by TV sportscaster Beatrice, due to some past bad match. While Hamlet takes place surrounded by sea, this re-sported Messina is more of a stretch, requiring 'war' to become 'game', Leonato 'owner' rather than 'governor' and nobleman Don Pedro a 'manager', although football's nickname culture permits him to be addressed as 'Sweet Prince', which is relatively modest in comparison with José Mourinho's 'Special One'. And for football aficionados, it is shaming how well the game fits the plot of the brutal misogynistic slandering of a young woman, Hero. Indeed, a play revolving around falsehoods and pranking gains new power when everyone has a mobile phone. And masked balls (on which many misunderstandings depend) also feel plausible partying for Champions League millionaires. Less happily, the footballing cliche about a game of two halves also applies to the production. After halftime, as football kit gives way to wedding gear, the metaphor visually vanishes. Also, a common football-managerial complaint about the pace of play – moving the ball faster here, tactically slowing things down there – is something director Michael Longhurst might look at before a second elsewhere. One of the most remarkable lines in Shakespeare, Beatrice's demand that Benedick 'Kill Claudio', is gabbled without a preceding pause, while other scenes need much quicker passing, especially as the comic coppers (cut completely from Jamie Lloyd's recent London Much Ado) get a full game. Dogberry and the other members of his watch as hi-vis private security is a good sight gag but their lines frequently die. Freema Agyeman's winning Beatrice looks – although the conceit can't encompass women's football – as if she might be a better player than Nick Blood's Benedick, who has the poignancy of a late-career athlete, while Peter Forbes' sleazy Leonato would easily fail the Premier League's 'fit and proper owners' test. Eleanor Worthington-Cox's hopeful Hero could have walked on from Amazon Prime's Married to the Game. Jon Bausor's set makes amusing use of a folding massage table, and the clothes, from tracksuits to designer suits and frocks, should win him a costume trophy. The overall show, though, is a little bit, as they spell it in football, Messi. At the Royal Shakespeare theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, until 24 May
Telegraph
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Much Ado About Nothing: Shakespeare meets the UEFA Cup? A brilliant concept that goes offside
The concept is unbeatable. Shakespeare's glorious story of warring former lovers and troubled new romance is now transposed to the glamorous world of top-flight European football, where Messina FC are playing Madrid FC in the Euro League final. Stadium-style moving advertising hoardings stretch around the august Royal Shakespeare Theatre and, as we settle into our seats and wait for the play to start, the unseen on-field action is relayed to us by frenzied commentary. A dramatic late winner means that Messina's captain Benedick (Nick Blood) and his teammates return from the 'battle' in celebratory mood. Let the frolics begin. Except they don't, particularly. Nothing else in this production from former Donmar Warehouse artistic director Michael Longhurst lives up to the brilliance of his conceit, which includes Benedick's spurned ex Beatrice (Freema Agyeman) as an Alex Scott-style sports broadcaster and villain Don John (Nojan Khazai) as a player with a grudge, substituted in favour of young star striker Claudio (Daniel Adeosun). In fact, these latter two elements are oddly underplayed and need to be far more firmly established to act as useful plot catalysts. This Leonato (Peter Forbes) is the owner of Messina FC and his daughter Hero (Eleanor Worthington-Cox, giddily excellent) a Scouse-accented wannabe Wag, short of skirt and high of heel. The post-match celebrations take place in Leonato's luxury villa, but unfortunately the early scenes between Beatrice and Benedick, which contain some of the wittiest wordplay in all of Shakespeare, fail to ignite. Agyeman tends far too much towards stroppy shouting, and we struggle to invest in this backstory of broken love. Compare and contrast with Jamie Lloyd's recent West End production of this same play, where those fine actors Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell sizzled during all this verbal jousting. The Claudio/Hero romance, always the secondary love story in the play given that Claudio is a dullard and a prig and Hero is given hardly anything to say (by Shakespeare, at least; Longhurst tweaks that a little), takes up almost all of the oxygen here. Beatrice and Benedick too often seem strangely diminished, even though Blood's everyman affability grows in appeal. My initial scepticism about the relevance of maidenly virginity – the cause of the scuppering of Claudio and Hero's nuptials – to the world of contemporary international footballers was soothed by some ingenious video design (all credit to Tal Rosner) showing Hero in a manipulated and compromising sexual situation. On those same screens where the joyous match score had previously flashed up now run screeds of vicious social media commentary. Lloyd's production sensibly did away with those ineffably tedious 'comic' characters of malapropism-inclined Dogberry and his fellow security men but, alas, they are back with a loquacious vengeance here, fatally deadening the momentum with a lengthy scene at the start of the second half. Still, although this production does not constitute a Euro League-clinching success, it is reassuring to see that directors of Longhurst's calibre are now being lured back to Stratford after too long an absence. That fact alone bodes very well for the RSC's future.
