Latest news with #ICAP
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
When club musicians fall, Danny Sandhu is there to catch them
PETALING JAYA: Danny Sandhu has never played an instrument on stage, nor belted out a ballad beneath the glow of bar lights. But ask any seasoned musician from Malaysia's club circuit, and his name brings immediate warmth and gratitude. For the past four years, Danny, 65, has quietly taken on a role most wouldn't expect: a relentless fundraiser and friend to musicians and deejays in crisis. From health emergencies to financial ruin, Danny, an events specialist by trade, has made it his personal mission to be there when the music stops, and the silence of hardship sets in. 'I just can't stand by when people who've given us joy are struggling in the shadows,' Danny said, his voice measured but resolute. 'They've played through the years for us, through heartbreaks, celebrations, quiet nights and loud ones. When they fall, we have to lift them.' Danny's partner, Ice, is a singer in the local club scene, a window into the unseen struggles that many musicians endure. Gigs are inconsistent. Pay is low. There's little to no social safety net. Behind every soulful tune is often a story of sacrifice and resilience. Danny's proximity to this world spurred him into action. Over the past four years, Danny has helped raise close to RM300,000 for various causes, thanks largely to the generosity of financial institution ICAP Sdn Bhd, which has strongly supported his mission of compassion. Of that total, ICAP contributed over RM220,000 specifically to assist club artistes, while Danny's friend, Justin Cheng, personally donated an additional RM50,000. Danny's collaboration with ICAP also extended beyond the music scene. A kindergarten run by the Canossian Sisters in Jinjang, Kuala Lumpur, received RM36,000, while ACTS (A Call to Serve) was given RM10,000 to support sick refugees and asylum seekers. His most recent initiative hit close to home: veteran keyboardist Johan Chong Mohamad Chong, who formed a duo with Ice, was diagnosed with stage three cancer. Recently, the Saints Bar in Taman Sri Hartamas filled with fellow musicians, patrons, and strangers-turned-friends. The night raised over RM15,000, a lifeline for Johan's ongoing treatment, and the total now stands at about RM21,000. 'This isn't charity. It's responsibility,' Danny added. 'These musicians and deejays are part of our cultural soul. They deserve dignity, not just applause.' It was in January 2021 that Danny helped launch 'Lend a Helping Hand' in collaboration with the Club Artistes' division of the Malaysian Artistes' Association (Karyawan). The initiative was born from one simple belief: 'Musicians, especially those who have little, must care for one another, and so must we.' Danny recalled the early days of the campaign with quiet pride. 'It was a unique show of caring,' he said. 'Helpless musicians, still finding strength to support one another during the pandemic.' ICAP's RM30,000 contribution at the time was a pivotal moment — a corporate gesture of humanity that, Danny hopes, will inspire others. 'I urge companies and captains of industry who love music, who've had great nights made better by great performers, to lend a helping hand,' Danny said. 'It makes all the difference.' For decades, Malaysian club artistes have lived in precarity. Gigs are scarce, fees are stagnant, and there's no formal retirement or healthcare safety net. Many have slipped through the cracks. The pandemic nearly broke the circuit altogether. Though music associations such as Musicians for Musicians and Karyawan have held benefit events, the reality remains: support is often temporary, while need is constant. Danny sees the gaps. He fills them, one fundraiser at a time. 'I'm not a musician. But I've seen their hearts. And when the gigs are gone, when the lights go dim, someone needs to stand in that space,' he said. 'That's why I'm here.' He doesn't do it for thanks. But if you ask those who've benefited, from guitarists sidelined by stroke to singers silenced by surgery, they'll say Danny is a rare person: a man who doesn't just love music, but truly honours the people who make it. In a scene too often defined by hustle and heartbreak, Danny's presence is a reminder that compassion is its own kind of headline act. - Frankie D'Cruz, FMT
Business Recorder
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
CAT dismisses ICAP's plea against CCP order
ISLAMABAD: The Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT) has dismissed the appeal filed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) against the order of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), which had imposed a penalty over alleged price-fixing practices. The CCP, in 2008 had initiated suo motu proceedings against ICAP for issuing a revised Accounting Technical Release 14 (ATR-14), approved in its 197th Council meeting held on July 25, 2008. The revised ATR-14 introduced minimum hourly charge-out rates and fixed minimum audit fees for public sector entities. The CCP found this to be in violation of Section 4(1) of the Competition Ordinance, 2007, which prohibits anti-competitive agreements. The Commission declared ATR-14 null and void, directed its withdrawal from ICAP's Members' Handbook, and ordered publication of a withdrawal notice in two newspapers. A penalty of Rs1 million was also imposed on the Institute. ICAP challenged the order before the Tribunal, with senior counsel Dr Farogh Naseem contending that ICAP, as a statutory regulator, had the authority to prescribe minimum fees for audit services, particularly in the public sector. He requested the tribunal to overturn the CCP's decision. The CCP's legal team argued that regardless of its statutory status, ICAP could not fix prices in a competitive market. The Commission maintained that such conduct amounted to collusive price-fixing, which is strictly prohibited under the competition laws. After hearing both sides, the Tribunal upheld CCP's order and dismissed the appeal. In a separate matter, CAT also dismissed the Karachi Stock Exchange's appeal against CCP for alleged abuse of dominant position, terming it infructuous. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
23-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
ICAP says AOB in finance bill may not be appropriate forum
KARACHI: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) has reviewed the discussions held during the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue's session on June 17, 2025, regarding the Finance Bill 2025, relating to proposed insertion of Section 58C into the Sales Tax Act, 1990. ICAP understands the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) efforts to combat financial misstatements, which may be resulting in evasion of sales tax. However, ICAP explains that the Audit Oversight Board (AOB), proposed in the finance bill to conduct inspections of audit firms, may not be the appropriate forum, given its statutory mandate is limited to overseeing audit quality of Public Interest Companies (PICs) only under the SECP Act 1997. ICAP proposes that being national regulators of audit profession and equipped with a robust investigation mechanism under the Chartered Accountants Ordinance, 1961, be designated to fulfil this oversight role. The Institute further explains that its existing Investigation Committee, constituted under the ICAP Bye-Laws 1983, comprised a reasonable number of independent members and a senior legal professional. ICAP reiterates its openness to including a nominee from FBR, AOB, or SECP on the Investigation Committee to enhance transparency. It is also disclosed that over the past five years, many cases relating to complaints received from various regulatory bodies, including SECP, SBP, AOB, and FBR, have been processed under its investigation framework. ICAP emphasizes the effectiveness of this system and informed that it annually publishes a comprehensive investigation report, the most recent of which was shared with members and public on March 13, 2025. The Institute expresses its continued support for legislative and regulatory reform in the national interest and remains committed to strengthening professional accountability across the financial ecosystem but has a concern on the introduction of alternate inspection mechanisms which may not be productive and in line with international best practices. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Winnipeg Free Press
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Cuba, human rights and the greater good
Opinion The invocation of human rights discourse in Cuba is sensitive and often controversial. I vividly remember my first trip to Cuba in the mid-1990s, where we (I was travelling with a group of students from Saint Mary's University in Halifax) visited the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) in Havana. When a question and answer discussion started, I asked about Cuba's human rights record within the country. The room suddenly grew quiet. But, as is often the case, the Cuban representatives attending the session were more than happy to entertain my query. They wanted to make clear to the group that context, historical experience and cultural patterns and values are critical to grappling with such a thorny issue. I want to be very clear myself from the outset that this op-ed piece is not about defending or excoriating Cuba's human rights record. Readers can visit the country, talk to the people, and see for themselves. This piece hopes to foster greater understanding and context and spur debate. As a socialist and revolutionary country, Cuba gives more prominence to social policy challenges — as opposed to Western-style civil and political rights — and thus values economic, social and cultural rights or responsibilities. For them, the emphasis is on the valuing of 'human' life, as became clear during the ICAP discussion, and rests on advancing Cubans' human dignity, taking care of their basic human needs and tending to their overall welfare. Cuban President Fidel Castro, in an October 1979 speech before the UN General Assembly, stated emphatically: 'I speak on behalf of those who have been denied the right to life and human dignity.' Put another way, governmental preference should be given to collective or group rights/interests and not individual civil and political rights. It is also true that Global North free and fair elections are absent in Cuba, as are constitutionally mandated press freedoms and, most important, the right to engage in political dissent. Moreover, the Madrid-based non-governmental organization, Prisoners Defenders, maintains that there were over 1,000 political prisoners in Cuban jails in 2024. On the other hand, the Cuban government gives priority to responsibilities (as advanced by a socialist state that embodies the people) around equality, family, labour and, most significantly, community or group rights. Again, the focus revolves around human dignity, economic sustenance and ensuring that basic needs are met. For instance, the state seeks to keep the cost of housing low, subsidizes housing materials and offers low-cost rental fees. To a large extent (and these days everything is in short supply in Cuba), access to decent health care, education (including at the university level), a job and a small retirement pension are all guaranteed by the Cuban government. Socially speaking, Cuba has legally entrenched same-sex marriage (and adoption rights), prohibits discrimination based on gender, identity and sexual orientation and has recognized transgender people (and made gender affirmation surgery available for free). It has also codified responsibilities for equal family responsibilities for children, a family life free from violence and an inclusive LGBTTQ+ public health and education program. Much work, of course, still remains to be done in these areas. It is instructive to note that Cuba's turbulent and troubled history has been shaped by colonial dominance (by Spain and then the United States) that was characterized by economic exploitation, a sugar plantation economy and violent slavery and political repression. However, during these periods there was no cultural transplanting of any conception of the inalienable political rights of individual human beings. After 1959, socialist Cuba began to place higher priority on modernization/industrialization, counter-dependency, an end to economic subjugation and the fulfilment of basic economic and social rights (given its abject poverty) within the wider community. And it was clearly Spanish and U.S. colonization that reinforced among the Cuban people the notion of group cohesion, oneness and the emergence of a resilient value system. Accordingly, the Cuban state took on the core role of developing the country economically and socially with the purported best interests of its people in mind. Any interest in entrenching individual political rights had to take a back seat to ensuring human dignity for everyone and redistributing the fruits of a state-driven developing economy — as well as guaranteeing freedom from starvation, freedom from exploitation and the satisfaction of basic human needs. Of course, governmental promises and pledges around human rights are not the same thing as actual positive results on the ground — as we have seen in Cuba, the Global South and the industrialized North. Looking forward, though, can the Cuban state fulfil its social and economic responsibilities to the people without embracing free market capitalism? Or, will the manifestations of those rights (e.g., access to health care, education and state entitlements) fall prey to the profit motive and rugged individualism? And will traditional Cuban values of group-mindedness, looking out for the welfare of others and sharing what they have still remain over time? Lots of questions. Very few answers, I'm afraid. Peter McKenna is professor of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown.
Gulf Today
04-06-2025
- Health
- Gulf Today
Passive cooling solutions to counter oppressive heat conditions
The impact of heat in India has been severe in recent years, with numerous heat-related deaths, widespread reports of heatstroke and school closures reported. This year, the thermometer climbed above 40°C in many places in late April, earlier than normal, according to a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) feature. 'Even if nations start bringing down the greenhouse gas emissions warming the planet, temperature extremes are here to stay for the foreseeable future,' said Balakrishna Pisupati, who leads the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) India office. 'Facing the kind of oppressive heat we have seen, people across this country will need to adapt, especially in ways that do not worsen the climate is where passive cooling solutions come in, he adds. According to the UNEP feature, passive cooling solutions range from reflective roofs to cool pavements to shade-providing tree cover. Crucially, and unlike air conditioning, these solutions do not spew out planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions nor enflame the climate crisis. India has emerged as a global champion of passive cooling, integrating these approaches into national policies and city planning, often with the support of UNEP. As UNEP states, India's cities are particularly at risk due to climate change and extreme heat, as rising temperatures are exacerbated by urban heat island effects and inequitable access to cooling. Left unchecked, this heat could expose up to 200 million people in India to lethal heatwaves in the 2030s, reduce India's GDP by 2%, cause the loss of 34 million jobs, and make it that much harder for millions of people to escape poverty. India's cities cannot just air-condition a way out of this extreme heat crisis. Best practices from India and around the world show that by taking a whole-systems approach to urban cooling, Indian cities can solve their cooling challenge and increase their heat resilience. Urban cooling and cold chain are two critically under-supported areas under the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP). Two projects, delivered under the framework of the UNEP Cool Coalition, will support the Government of India to lead a transition to sustainable, accessible and climate-friendly cooling. One such project is in the Indian capital. Delhi is one of the hottest major cities, with temperatures reportedly feeling like 50°C with humidity. To help give commuters relief from the heat, the UNEP-led Cool Coalition in partnership with national and local government bodies are installing a 'cool roof' on the bustling Kashmere Gate interstate bus terminal. The roof, which covers nearly 150,000 square feet, will be retrofitted with a surface that reflects at least 80% of solar heat, helping to cool upwards of 100,000 commuters daily. Another example is the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY) – India's flagship affordable housing scheme; to date, it has provided safe, secure homes to millions of families. However, in many affordable housing projects across India, keeping cool remains a challenge. Together with UNEP, PMAY aims to integrate passive cooling features – such as natural ventilation and insulated walls – into the 10 million homes the government targets for delivery by 2029. These efforts could reduce electricity use by up to 35%, by lowering indoor temperature by 3°C and giving families 40% more time in the year without needing cooling. Again, in the city of Chennai in southern India, where dense population, high-rise buildings and shortage of green space are causing temperatures to spike, attempts are on to reduce this so-called heat-island effect. UNEP's Cool Coalition and India's CEPT University mapped the city's hottest areas and provided officials with recommendations on how to use nature and passive cooling to bring down temperatures. These are being integrated into Chennai's masterplan and can reduce urban heat by up to 4°C and cut heat-caused illnesses by 15-30%. Furthermore, according to the feature, in India, most cities do not take a standardized, scientific approach for mapping urban heat, which is essential to developing plans that address scorching temperatures. To change this, UNEP and partners are supporting central and state government efforts in India to adopt cutting-edge strategies for identifying and addressing urban heat hotspots and helping develop guidelines on how these government agencies can use disaster-related funding on projects to reduce temperatures in urban areas.
