Latest news with #Gamar
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Express
POIC port offers quicker access to Zambo traders
Published on: Saturday, June 14, 2025 Published on: Sat, Jun 14, 2025 By: Nikko Fabian Text Size: Razanah presenting sample of Sabah dry noodles to Gamar. Kota Kinabalu: The POIC Lahad Datu port is not just a convenient alternative for Sabah's east coast merchants and shippers; it's a catalyst for increased trade with neighbouring countries. Its modern facilities, including dedicated terminals for container, liquid bulk (like crude palm oil), and dry bulk cargo (including fertilisers), are alleviating congestion issues plaguing the Tawau Port. Advertisement This is particularly beneficial for traders shipping goods to the ZamBaSulTa region (Zamboanga City-Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi) and the Zamboanga Peninsula, who now have a faster, more cost-effective option. The Sabah Cross-Border Trade Association (SCBTA) reports enthusiastic reception from Filipino and Indonesian businesses, highlighting the port's positive impact on regional trade. SCBTA President Razanah Paimin said the shorter travel time to Lahad Datu, compared to Tawau, and the avoidance of Tawau's recent congestion issues (caused by equipment breakdown) are key advantages. Even elected officials in Zamboanga Del Norte , she said expressed keen interest in collaborating with Sabah businesses, further emphasising the port's role in fostering cross-border economic growth. During my initiate discussion with outgoing Sirawai Municipal Mayor Gamar Janihim last week, Razanah said the municipality and other municipal elected officials in Zamboanga Del Norte expressed eagerness to promote Malaysia products . Razanah was told that the entry of Malaysian products like dry noodles, cooking oil and other essential food items are salelable in the area. On his part, Gamar said that he will arranged a meeting between SCBTA and local government officials including owners of big commercial establishments in the province to discuss the mechanics and business strategies on how to effectively promote Malaysians goods. Meanwhile, POIC Sabah Sdn Bhd is actively engaging with stakeholders, including the Sabah Timber Industries Association (STIA), to address any remaining concerns and ensure the port's capacity is fully utilised. The 'port-within-a-park' concept, unique to POIC Lahad Datu, ensures efficient goods movement, further enhanced by the experienced port crew and advanced facilities, recently demonstrated by the seamless handling of super heavy-duty batteries for a major energy project. With its official designation as a public port in June 2022, POIC Lahad Datu is poised to significantly enhance Sabah's trading capabilities and strengthen its regional economic ties. * 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
Arab News
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Film review: ‘My Driver & I'
The winner of the Best Feature Film at the 11th Saudi Film Festival, which concluded earlier this month, 'My Driver & I' (Salma and Gamar), directed by Saudi Arabia's own Ahd Kamel, is a poignant coming-of-age story set in 1980s and 1990s Jeddah. The film follows Salma, raised as an only child in a villa. Her globe-trotting father (played by legendary Saudi hip-hop artist Qusai 'Don Legend' Kheder) indulges her with stacks of music cassette tapes from his international travels. Salma's Palestinian mother (Rana Alamuddin) initially appears overly-strict but a soft undercurrent eventually reveals itself. The heart of the film lies in Salma's bond with Gamar (Mustafa Shahata), a newly hired Sudanese driver and father to a one-year-old child back in Sudan. Though tasked with taking Salma to school, Gamar becomes her protector, confidant and quiet guide through life. Salma is portrayed as a very young girl by Tarah Al-Hakeem and later, as a teenager, by Roula Dakheelallah. Gamar, too, has a relationship with cassette tapes — but for a very different reason. His wife back home cannot read, so he sends her audio recordings filled with updates and declarations of love for her and their child. Despite the distance and longing, he makes the difficult decision to stay in Jeddah until Salma graduates high school, sacrificing his own time with his family in the process. One might be reminded of the classic 1989 American film 'Driving Miss Daisy,' which followed the decades-long relationship between an elderly white Southern woman and her Black driver in mid-20th-century Atlanta. But while parallels can be drawn in terms of companionship and class, 'My Driver & I' is a distinctly Saudi story — rooted in a different era, place and dynamic. Kamel has said in interviews that the film is inspired by her own relationship with her childhood driver. As Salma matures, the innocence of her world begins to fray. Still in high school, a shy flirtation with a teen boy (played by pop star Mishaal Tamer) causes tension between her and Gamar. While some parts of the story may seem stretched or lengthy, it feels like a road — meandering, unfolding in its own time. Kamel is no stranger to the screen. Best known for her acting role in the BAFTA-nominated 'Wadjda' (2012), Saudi Arabia's first feature film, 'My Driver & I' marks her directorial debut. While 'Wadjda' centered on a girl longing to ride a bicycle, this film replaces the bike with a car — and, at one point, even a jet ski. In both films, the story is rooted in a Saudi girl's perspective. Raised in Jeddah, Kamel moved to New York City for higher education; she studied law at Columbia University and then animation and communication at Parsons, and obtained a directing degree from New York Film Academy. It was while in the US that she learned of her childhood driver's passing and began writing 'My Driver & I' as a homage — to him, and to the city they shared. Gamar, which translates to 'moon,' can be seen as reflecting Salma's ball of sunshine. He does not just drive her from place to place, he shows her the road — both literal and emotional. And she provides the soundtrack.
