Latest news with #Izwan
New Straits Times
11-08-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Putrajaya's growth journey far from over, says developer
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's administrative capital, Putrajaya, is only half complete, three decades after its transformation from the Prang Besar rubber estate into a modern showcase city. Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd, the master developer behind the city, says the next 30 years will be just as pivotal as the first. "We are halfway through our journey," chief executive officer Datuk Ir Ts Izwan Hasli Mohd Ibrahim told TV3's Money Matters, aired last Saturday. "There's still a lot more to go and we are aggressive in building and progressing," he said, adding that the cranes dotting the skyline signal "more development ahead." Putrajaya Holdings is a subsidiary of KLCC (Holdings) Sdn Bhd, the master developer of the 40.47-hectare (ha) Kuala Lumpur City Centre development. The company has been entrusted with 485.62ha, or 10 per cent, of the 4,856.23ha Putrajaya development master plan. A CITY BUIT TO PLAN Izwan said the master plan, conceived in the 1990s, remains the city's guiding framework. It divides Putrajaya into 20 precincts. The "core island", comprising Precincts 2, 3 and 4, houses the main government offices, commercial centres and iconic public landmarks. Surrounding precincts provide residential neighbourhoods, schools, parks and lakeside leisure spaces. Even the 650ha lake, a defining feature of Putrajaya's landscape and property value, was part of that original vision. "There was no lake before. We put in the lake and it has absolutely helped in terms of the appreciation and viability of the city," Izwan said. GUIDED BY THREE PRINCIPLES Every new project must pass three tests: it must have catalytic value, commercial viability and social benefit. "A catalytic project has a multiplier effect, it boosts the land and developments around it," Izwan explained. "It also has to be commercially viable so it won't be abandoned years down the road, and it must be socially good for the community." This approach has shaped Putrajaya's mix of residential, commercial and public amenities, from government quarters and international schools to malls, hotels and lakeside parks. THE FUTURE UNFOLDS One of the most significant projects in the pipeline is Kota Madani in Precinct 19, which Izwan calls "the future of Putrajaya." Planned as an affordable, artificial intelligence-driven green township, Kota Madani will feature 10,000 units of government quarters, vertical schools and integrated infrastructure over three phases, with a projected population of 35,000. "It fits right at the centre of our catalytic value principle," Izwan said. "Thirty-five thousand people need to eat, shop and play. This will stimulate businesses across Putrajaya." Phase one, covering 3,000 units and the first vertical school, is already in motion following a groundbreaking by the prime minister last month. The full development will take seven years to complete. EXPANDING THE ECOSYSTEM Beyond Kota Madani, Izwan said Putrajaya Holdings is pressing ahead with projects to strengthen the city's live-work-play balance. This includes the RM106 million rejuvenation of the Alamanda shopping mall, now more vibrant with new restaurants, upgraded cinemas and soon, bowling alleys. Two new retail projects, Terra Mall in Precinct 8 and a transit-oriented development in Precinct 7, are set to add lifestyle and commuter-focused shopping options. Hospitality will also expand with the upcoming Fraser Residence joining the lakeside DoubleTree by Hilton. The education pillar remains robust with Heriot-Watt University's Malaysia campus, one of only three such campuses worldwide, and Nexus International School. A MODEL FOR THE WORLD Putrajaya's reputation has travelled far. Izwan said the city received visits from four foreign leaders in 2024. The city regularly hosts foreign delegations eager to learn from its integration of green spaces, smart infrastructure and urban design guidelines. "Putrajaya is known as a green garden city, a smart city, and a well-planned city. The challenge now is to keep doing the right things for the next 30 years." THE ROAD AHEAD Izwan is clear about his mandate: deliver the remaining half of the master plan while preserving the city's identity as Malaysia's premier address. "My job is to make sure we continue moving forward, building according to the master plan," he said. "A lot is happening in Putrajaya today. Come over, it's the best address in Malaysia."
AsiaOne
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
'Small gestures speak the loudest': Director M. Raihan Halim focuses on familial love in SG60 film Kopitiam Days, Entertainment News
Local director M. Raihan Halim's family was at the premiere of SG60 anthology film Kopitiam Days on Aug 5 and when his short IZ-1 came on screen, his family immediately felt a sense of familiarity. "My family had no idea what the film is about. My grandma and mum couldn't make it to the premiere, but my sisters, brothers-in-law and niece were there, and they were like, 'Oh, that's nenek (Malay for grandmother).' They get it," the 43-year-old told AsiaOne in an interview yesterday (Aug 7). Kopitiam Days, which is supported by Infocomm Media Development Authority and Singapore Film Commission, is an anthology of six shorts which features Singapore in the past, present and future. Each of the stories is independent, but the kopitiam Heap Seng Leong is a familiar place in all the characters' lives. The film is produced by local director Eric Khoo, who serves as the film's creative director and executive producer, and Lim Teck, managing director of Clover Films. Raihan's short IZ-1 — affectionately called Izwan by the crew — tells the story of an elderly woman (Zaliha Hamid) navigating life and relationship with her daughter Hannah (Siti Khalijah) in 2035. The latter buys an android caregiver with the titular name to care for makcik, who gradually cares for and accepts the robot as they live together in Kampong Lorong Buangkok, the last village in Singapore. A 'love letter' to his grandma and mum Dedicating the short as a "love letter" to his grandma and mum, who are in their 80s and 60s respectively, Raihan told us the idea for the story was sparked from his concern for them as they age and prefer to live alone. He shared: "Growing up and now getting older, I realised that they really need someone to take care of them, and the moment they say no and don't want anybody else to [assist them], we start to take precautions, such as buying a certain kind of walker for my grandma, making sure that their home is more senior-proof and the toilet bowl is a bit more cushioned." Likewise in IZ-1, where unspoken love between mother and daughter is portrayed through actions rather than words, Raihan said it's a reflection of his own family. He said: "In my family, we don't know how to say 'I am sorry' and 'I love you' and it's always through actions... I grew up in that kind of environment, we are not huggers, it's literally through acts [that we show care for each other]. "If I had an argument with my grandma and she's upset with me, she would prepare breakfast the next morning, and I know things are going to get better. So it's really the little things; the gestures are never big and small gestures speak the loudest." He added that besides cooking and buying food that he likes, they also support him in their own ways, such as his grandma buying multiple copies of the newspaper when he was featured in it. While IZ-1 centres on love between family and found family that transcends feelings, Raihan also wanted to tell a story about looking onwards. He shared: "The reason I set IZ-1 in the kampong is because I am a nostalgic person... and I just cannot help but look back at the kampong days and my childhood days... it's always easy to look back and think about the good old days. "But in this case, what I wanted to show, at least in the first minute of the film, people would think that it's another kampong story, and when the drone crash into the house from the rooftop, they would realise that they are not in the past or today but the future. That's the message that I hope will get across — we can always have one foot in the past, but we must always be ready to have one foot in the future. During SG50, it's about where we came from and in SG60, it's about where we are going next." Bringing IZ-1 to life Bringing the android IZ-1 to life fulfilled Raihan's love for kaiju (Japanese for strange creature) movies. "We questioned whether it should be fully electronic and rolling around, all that stuff. But I felt that I wanted the bulkiness of a robot suit. I am a sucker for kaiju movies, all the old Japanese stuff, where they are robots but actually men in robots. I love that and wanted to show my version of it," he shared. When designing IZ-1's costume, Raihan and the production designer wanted to keep it simple and pleasing to the audience and at the same time, not blurring the lines between human and automation. "It's not meant to look like a Tesla robot... it's closer to a Wall-E than a Tesla robot, I just didn't want the slickness of it... If you have seen some videos of the Tesla robot, it's creepy because it talks like a human being. The boundaries between man and machine is already destroyed and I am just so bothered by that, so we decided that IZ-1 could be big, but it needs to be rounded," he shared. IZ-1 was played by a theatre actor who paid attention to details in performing emotions through his gestures. In addition, the team ensured that the background was never white so that IZ-1 is the focus of the scene. And while the story is set in Kampong Lorong Buangkok, the team actually filmed it in Kuala Lumpur because there's only one kampung house in Buangkok that filmmakers are allowed to film in. "We were limited and I had a specific idea about how I wanted things to look like, but it's impossible to do that (in Singapore). So we filmed it in Malaysia, but the tough part was making it look like Singapore," he added. Little details such as the Singapore flag, Merlion, Sharity Elephant and Singa The Kindness Lion can be seen around the home to bring a sense of familiarity to local audiences. Cameoing for director Ong Kuo Sin's The Morning Call Raihan's involvement in Kopitiam Days is not just in IZ-1, but also a cameo appearance in director Ong Kuo Sin's short The Morning Call. The latter centres on the blossoming relationship between May (Jennifer Wilkinson) and her grandfather Lim (Yang Shi Bin) when she returns to Singapore with her mother Chui Hoon (Yvonne Lim) and accidentally loses the orange payphone from his kopitiam. When asked how he got an acting part in the short, Raihan laughed: "I didn't have a choice. Eric and Lim Teck convinced me and I just thought it was fun." He also shared that he appreciates Kuo Sin's works (Reunion Dinner, Number 1) and spent time on set watching him direct. "I realised why his films are so good, because he's such a giving director. He doesn't give much to me because I have very little lines [in the short], but seeing how he directed the other actors, it's really fulfilling and I have so much to learn. I am so glad that I did it in the end because I got to learn from him," Raihan said. Kopitiam Days will be shown through community screenings at the following locations and dates: Tampines Changkat Community Club: Aug 16 Our Tampines Hub: Aug 26, 27 and 31 and Sept 27 One Punggol: Sept 6 More information will be made available on the respective Facebook pages of the venues. The film will also be subsequently released on streaming platforms. [[nid:721036]] No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
The Star
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
DBKL's festival showcases 14 orchestral ensembles at 10 venues
(Seated, from left) Izwan, Lim, Ismadi, Naquib and Pek at the event's pre-launch in Kuala Lumpur. — Courtesy of DBKL KUALA Lumpur is set to transform into a vibrant cultural soundscape with the return of Kuala Lumpur Orchestra Festival (FOKL). Now in its second edition, the festival runs until June 29, taking place at selected venues across the city. Organised by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), this year's festival showcases 14 local and international orchestral ensembles, bringing together over 1,200 musicians. 'This is not just about music – it's about creating inclusive and impactful cultural experiences,' said DBKL Socioeconomic Development executive director Ismadi Sakirin at the festival's pre-launch. 'Beyond contributing to the growth of orchestral music, the festival also enhances KL's reputation as a cultural hub.' Also present at the launch were DBKL Culture, Arts, Tourism and Sport Department director Naquib Hamdan, DBKL Music Unit head Isabella Pek, DBKL Culture, Art, Tourism and Sports senior deputy director Izwan Razif and Kuala Lumpur Society vice-president Jack Lim. Ismadi noted that FOKL will expand its reach this year, taking place at 10 locations, up from just three last year – an indication of DBKL's growing commitment to the initiative. Ismadi says the festival will position Kuala Lumpur as a cultural hub. Festival venues include Auditorium DBKL and Dataran DBKL at DBKL headquarters, DBKL's training institute in Cheras, Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS, and the River of Life area in Masjid Jamek. The programme also features workshops led by musicians from across Asia, including Japan, China and Thailand. To nurture the next generation of talent, the festival will spotlight performances by schoolchildren and youth ensembles. According to a DBKL statement, over 60 schools have been invited to attend selected performances. To promote accessibility, DBKL is collaborating with GNB Disabled Welfare Association to ensure people with disabilities can attend the concerts. FOKL will also include a charity performance in support of the Malaysian Association for the Blind. Admission is free. For schedule of performances, venues and showtimes, visit
New Straits Times
01-06-2025
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
BYD SUV owner opts for full loan settlement after highway scare
SHAH ALAM: The owner of a fully electric BYD Atto 3 sport utility vehicle (SUV), which recently went viral following a harrowing incident on a highway, has decided to part ways with the vehicle through a full loan settlement borne entirely by BYD Sime Motors. According to a Sinar Harian report, Izwan Hassan, 33, said the decision was made after prioritising his family's safety, despite incurring a minor financial loss from the loan instalments paid during his 10-month ownership. "We appreciate the professional conduct shown by BYD Sime Motors in resolving this matter amicably by repurchasing the vehicle through a full settlement with the bank. "Although I did suffer a slight financial loss from the instalments paid, I am not willing to risk a repeat of the incident. My family's safety is paramount," he said in a Facebook post on Saturday. Earlier, Izwan and his family endured a terrifying moment when the newly purchased electric SUV suddenly came to a halt in the fast lane of the Cheras–Kajang Expressway. The incident occurred on May 1 while they were travelling from Melaka to Penang, with the vehicle reportedly cruising at speeds between 90 and 100km/h. The vehicle was later sent to the BYD Glenmarie service centre, where it remained for 12 days before company representatives met Izwan in Melaka. Contrary to initial assumptions that a faulty 12V battery was to blame, BYD clarified that the root cause was a defective sensor on the driver's door. "They informed me that when the door sensor malfunctions, the vehicle's safety system is automatically triggered. Hazard lights turn on instantly, the brakes engage abruptly, and the entire system shuts down. "Based on dashcam footage, the car began braking at 12:20:21am while moving at 106km/h and came to a complete stop by 12:20:27am, in under seven seconds," he said. What raised further concern, Izwan added, was the complete lack of warning prior to the vehicle's emergency response. "The tyres could not be turned even after shifting the gear to neutral. Everything happened so fast, we couldn't react in time. The safety system is supposed to protect passengers, but in this case, it posed a danger," he said. The incident has since sparked widespread debate among netizens and electric vehicle (EV) owners, particularly over the reliance on automated systems that fail to provide early warnings when malfunctions occur. Reflecting on the ordeal, Izwan said the experience had taught him to be more cautious when selecting a vehicle. "For now, we're exploring other vehicle options that offer stronger safety features and more reliable after-sales support. I've also learnt not to be easily swayed by viral promotions on social media," he said. As of press time, BYD has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
Observer
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Sharjah beat Sailors to claim AFC CL2 glory
SINGAPORE: Sharjah FC claimed the AFC Champions League Two 2024-25 title with a dramatic 2-1 win over Singapore's Lion City Sailors at Bishan Stadium on Sunday as Marcus Meloni scored deep into added time to secure victory for the side from the United Arab Emirates. The final looked to be heading for extra-time when Lion City's Maxime Lestienne cancelled out Firas Ben Arbi's 74th minute goal but Meloni struck in the 97th minute to give Sharjah head coach Cosmin Olaroiu the perfect send off before he takes over as UAE national team boss. Sharjah become the first club from the country to lift the title and follow in the footsteps of domestic rivals Al Ain, who won the AFC Champions League in 2003 and 2024, in becoming the only outfits from the Gulf state to taste continental glory. Sharjah's Meloni had an early sight of goal but his free-kick from distance was comfortably dealt with by Lion City goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud as both teams took time to impose themselves on the game. The home side shaded proceedings, with Bart Ramselaar denied the opener when his driven strike from the edge of the area was blocked by central defender Shaheen Abdalla and goalkeeper Adel al Hosani's batted the ball to safety after it looped towards goal. Caio Lucas almost unlocked the Lion City defence with 11 minutes left in the half, the Brazil-born winger swinging a right-foot cross in from close to the left touchline that an on-rushing Ben Arbi only narrowly missed reaching to beat Izwan. The game was starting to open up and Diogo Costa almost put the Sailors in front moments later, the Portuguese winger hitting the base of Al Hosani's right post with a powerful left-foot strike from the edge of the area. MELONI HITS WINNER Lion City midfielder Song Ui-young skied his first-time effort well off target inside the opening five minutes of the second half while Ramselaar started and almost finished a flowing move through the centre that ended with the ball flying over the bar. Ousmane Camara squandered a gilt-edged opportunity with 21 minutes remaining, rising highest to meet Meloni's corner from the right only to steer his header marginally wide of Izwan's left post. With 16 minutes remaining, however, Sharjah found their way through. Caio Lucas swung the ball over from the left corner of the area towards Khaleed Ebraheim as the full-back galloped into space behind the Lion City defence and his first-time centre as he slid along the turf found Ben Arbi at the far post and he finished with aplomb. The clock had barely ticked over into added time when Lestienne levelled, the prolific Belgian lashing a low left-foot shot through a defender's leg and past Al Hosni to raise the possibility of extra-time. But Meloni won the title for Sharjah six minutes later when he moved the ball onto his right foot on the left side of the Lion City penalty area and bent an unstoppable low shot beyond Izwan to seal a remarkable win. — AFC
