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Free Malaysia Today
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Free Malaysia Today
Riders race towards SEA Games at Prime Minister Cup qualifier
Equestrian Norinne Dewal Ira Ali competing at the Prime Minister Cup CSI 1* with her horse, Pavalina. KUALA LUMPUR : Equestrian events have long been part of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), and Malaysia's riders have won numerous medals, including 20 golds, over the years. However, Malaysia has not taken home any prizes since 2017. Could this be the year to break the dry spell? The 33rd SEA Games are set to take place this December in Thailand, with each country's equestrian team, comprising four riders, aiming for gold. Held this past weekend, the Prime Minister Cup CSI I* featured the fourth of five SEA Games equestrian qualifier rounds, presented by Tokyo Auto Salon KL and Lexus Malaysia. Around 100 riders took part in the competition, which was jointly organised by the Equestrian Association of Malaysia and the Kuala Lumpur Polo Club. Hariz Kamaluddin and his horse Replay were declared the reigning champions of the 4th SEA Games Qualifier round. With this event being the second-to-last qualifying round, participants included riders who went head-to-head – or horse-to-horse – to see who might clinch a spot on the national team. Five riders took part in the qualifiers held over two rounds. Watching them show-jump over heights of 60-130cm made for an intense, nail-biting spectacle. Emerging as the champ was 19-year-old Hariz Kamaluddin and his horse Replay – the only competitor to complete both rounds with zero jump faults. Speaking with FMT Lifestyle after receiving his medal on the podium, Hariz said: 'At first, I was really nervous. I was just walking around the course, trying to get myself together and connect with my horse, telling him that everything will be alright. And we managed to do it!' Alongside Hariz and Norinne, Nabil Ismail placed third, while Amirul Razak came in fourth. As a child, Hariz's interest in riding was first piqued when his brother, who is dyslexic, began horse riding as part of therapy. Over the years, Hariz has been steadily climbing to the top. In May, he finished in the top five at the CSIY-B AEF Cup in Tehran. Now, his only goal is to maintain his high points so he can secure his first chance to compete at the SEA Games. 'Today was the fourth qualifier. And this is also my first time getting first place, so it's a really great feeling,' he said. At 48, Norinne is doing a great job balancing her roles as mother, lawyer and equestrian. Coming in second was Norinne Ira Dewal Ali, 48, with her horse, Pavalina. Riding since she was a child, Norinne, who's a mother and a lawyer, is an inspiration to many. 'The first time I sat on a pony I was only three years old,' Norinne recalled, adding that she was introduced to horses by her mother and brother, who were both riding at the time. 'The rule at the polo club was that I had to be six years old for riding lessons. So, I waited for my sixth birthday, begged my parents, and that's how it started,' she said. Norinne's no stranger to podiums, and in the qualifying round at this event, she fared reasonably well, picking up a jump fault in the first round but making a comeback by clearing the course in the second. Despite the wins and cheers, Norinne – who is also vying for her SEA Games debut – remained focused on one thing: her horse. 'Firstly, I love the animal. Beautiful, gorgeous, generous, animal. I ride for the sport, yes, but I love the horse and I really care for the welfare of my horses. It's the most important thing,' she said. The equestrian qualifier round for the Prime Minister Cup CSI 1* was presented by Lexus Malaysia and Tokyo Auto Salon KL. Other riders who took part in the qualifying round included Nabil Ismail, who placed third, as well as Amirul Razak and Shahrizal Mohamed. Unofficially, there's also talk of other riders who could make the SEA Games team based on their existing points, including 18-year-old Arysha Haya Kanda and 32-year-old Shoorendran Nageswaran. With just one more round to go in August, the pressure is on. All in all, it was an intense and exciting day at the Kuala Lumpur Polo Club, witnessing not only the grace of Belgian horses but also the breathtaking cars on show, courtesy of Tokyo Auto Salon KL. Now it's a game of wait and see as to who among the riders will ultimately represent Malaysia at the Games in Thailand this December.
The Star
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Disabled widow sings to support her two kids
SHE lost both legs but widow N. Megala remains determined to earn an income to support her two children, Utusan Malaysia reported. Megala, 44, lost her right leg after an accident in 2022. A year later, her other leg was amputated due to complications from diabetes. These days, she sings at events to pay for medical bills and the school expenses of her daughters aged 12 and 16. Both girls are also diabetic. 'I would memorise as many songs as possible including those in Malay. 'I try to promote myself on TikTok so that others could see my talent and invite me for performances.' Megala, whose husband died 12 years ago, used to be a tailor but couldn't continue with the job with her condition. As her husband's monthly pension of RM1,200 is insufficient, Megala, who lives in Ipoh, must earn additional income to support her family. > Actor Hariz Hamdan is remorseful for uploading a video clip which showed actress Nelydia Senrose clutching his arm during a cable car ride in Langkawi, Kosmo! reported. He said he had wanted to share the video among friends and also to promote his new drama. 'I'm sorry if the video caused uneasiness. It wasn't my intention to cause a controversy,' said Hariz, 23. Netizens pointed out that Nelydia, 30, is a married woman. Hariz explained that the physical contact was unintentional and a spontaneous act as Nelydia was panicking during the ride. Hariz said he merely tried to calm her down. > A radio presenter will spend about RM500,000 to build a madrasah on ancestral land in Negri Sembilan to fulfil his mother's dream, Harian Metro reported. Nabil Ahmad, 42, said his 77-year-old mother has been undergoing kidney dialysis for eight years and wanted a madrasah to be built for orphans, he said. 'I hope construction of the madrasah will proceed smoothly and that it will be operational by next year,' he added. The above article is 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 this ' >'sign, it denotes a separate news item.
New Straits Times
12-07-2025
- New Straits Times
Long-awaited moment turns sour in copter crash
JOHOR BARU: Sergeant Siti Latipa Khairuddin, 54, had been eagerly looking forward to her first-ever helicopter ride in her decades-long policing career — but that long-awaited moment ended in disaster when the aircraft crashed near Sungai Pulai, Gelang Patah, on Thursday (July 10). Her youngest son, Mohamad Hariz Akmal Mohd Jais, 21, said the excitement quickly turned to horror when the family received news that the AS355N helicopter had gone down just minutes after take-off. Latipa, was among five police crew members injured in Thursday's helicopter crash. "Mak was excited to fly in a helicopter for the first time in her career," Hariz said. Just moments before take-off, she had snapped a selfie and sent it to the family's WhatsApp group, beaming with excitement over her maiden chopper flight in her decades-long service. "She told us the day before how thrilled she was. On the day of the flight, she sent a photo of herself inside the helicopter. That was the last we heard before a policeman knocked on our door," said Hariz said when met at the lobby of Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) today. He recalled how the family — including his father and older brother — were stunned when informed that the helicopter had gone down, just a 10-minute drive from their quarters at the Tanjung Kupang Police Station. "We rushed to HSA and waited anxiously at the emergency and trauma department," said the Polytechnic Ibrahim Sultan student. Now on the road to recovery, Latipa remains under close medical supervision and has not yet been allowed to consume solid food. "She's conscious, can speak, and is responding well. But doctors have advised only fluids — water and milk — for now to avoid complications with her internal injuries." He added that his mother sustained a broken second ankle bone, a cracked left hip, and multiple bruises and cuts from the impact. Latipa was one of five crew members aboard the AS355N helicopter that crashed near the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency jetty during a flypast in the multi-agency simulation held in conjunction with the Nuclear Security Detection Exercise Malaysia-Indonesia-Thailand-Singapore 2025.
