Latest news with #GiatMara
Free Malaysia Today
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Free Malaysia Today
Free haircuts, oil change service draw crowds at Madani event
Workers at a barber shop in Muar, Johor, were kept busy providing free haircuts for a Madani community event today. (Bernama pic) MUAR : Free haircuts and oil change services were among the attractions that drew the crowd at a Bakti Komuniti Madani event here, held ahead of a month-long national day campaign to be launched tomorrow. Barber-shop owner Hilmi Hassan, 47, from Parit Jawa, said he and his four workers were very busy as many people came for haircuts from 10am. 'By 12.15pm, we had already served over 60 people of different ages. We thought we would wrap up at noon, but had to extend the time because many were still waiting,' he said. Kampung Simpang Baba village chief Hussin Limat, 65, said the long wait was worth it, as the free haircut saved money and brought people together. Secondary school student Muizzudin Nordin, 15, said he arrived as early as 8am after learning about the free haircut service. 'A haircut at a regular barber shop would cost RM10 to RM20, so I didn't want to miss the chance,' he said. All 60 bottles of engine oil allocated by GiatMara for its free oil change service were used up within two hours, said the agency's Bakri manager, Affandi Abdul Rahim. He said the service was carried out by eight trainees and attracted visitors from across Muar. The community event also featured an e-sports tournament, asam pedas cooking competition, traditional games and lucky draws.
New Straits Times
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Made in Malaysia: Lamborghini-inspired jet car turns heads on the waves
SETIU: A former GiatMara trainee has turned his childhood dream into reality by building a Lamborghini-inspired "jet car" that floats — drawing the attention of both local and international tourists. Muhamad Amirul Mat Nasir, 22, from Kampung Saujana, succeeded on his second attempt after his first prototype sank, resulting in losses of more than RM15,000. His initial effort in 2022 failed due to a miscalculation in the fibreglass powder mixture, which caused the boat to nearly sink. Nevertheless, Amirul remained undeterred. "I tried again in February last year and made improvements with the help of my GiatMara trainer, Mohd Fauzi Ismail," he said. This time, the effort paid off. The second jet car, completed in March, was constructed using fibreglass powder and seven metric tonnes of clay to create the mould. "It took us around six months to complete the jet car, including shaping the body to resemble a Lamborghini," said Amirul. After the fibreglass body was moulded, clay was used to form the design before fibreglass resin was applied. Measuring 6.1m in length and 2.14m in width, the boat can carry up to six passengers and is powered by a 60-horsepower engine. It has since proven stable on water and has gone viral online. "Many tourists from both within and outside the country have shared videos of their rides to Pulau Redang and Pulau Perhentian," he said. Amirul added that he once received an offer of RM150,000 to purchase the boat, but he turned it down. "For now, I'm using it to meet tourist demand. We earn more than RM2,000 a month from rentals," he said. He is currently working on adding a roof and lighting to the boat and hopes to build an amphibious version that can travel on both land and water. "One of its best features is its stability, even in strong currents and rough waves," he added. Meanwhile, Mohd Fauzi said GiatMara planned to present Amirul's innovation to the top management of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) to seek further support and recognition. "We are looking to apply for a grant or loan so Amirul can showcase his creativity and innovation at the international level," he said.
