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The Star
30-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Pocket-pleasing meals
Patrons choosing their proteins and vegetables. — Photos: Low Lay Phon/The Star LUNCHTIME sees a steady stream of workers, students and retirees queuing at a Malay food stall in Petaling Jaya. They are drawn by the promise of affordable dishes that taste like they are home-cooked. While the sales and service tax has nudged prices up across the city, the stall here has stayed true to its promise, keeping portions generous and prices low. It is like a small act of kindness in a city where every ringgit counts. Just past noon, the line at Gerai Kak Sofie, a nasi campur stall, stretches well past the faded stall located in Kompleks Pasar dan Medan Selera PJ, Section 14. Inside, bubbling pots of ayam masak merah, ayam goreng berempah, fried ikan bilis sambal, refreshing local salads (kerabu) and savoury gulai tempt the senses, reminding visitors of village kitchens from yesteryear. I have frequented this stall for the last 10 years and I can vouch that the food is always good and fresh and most importantly, affordable. Gerai Kak Sofie at the Section 14 food court has a steady stream of loyal customers comprising mostly office workers. From Monday to Friday, stall owner Sofie Othman, 53, starts her day at the stall at 6.30am selling breakfast items, namely nasi lemak, fried mee hoon, fried rice and fried koay teow. At the same time, she is busy preparing over 40 dishes for the lunch crowd. She has diligently run this food business since 1994. 'We have managed to not increase prices of our dishes for a long time. 'The number of dishes we cook varies every day,' she said. The long line of mostly office workers from the Section 14 commercial area is a clear indication of the value for money offered by Gerai Kak Sofie. At the stall, the queue starts at a corner where each diner gets a plate of rice before going on to pick from hot dishes like asam fish, fish curry, masak lemak, ayam goreng berempah, ayam goreng ala KFC, ikan keli goreng, paru goreng, and sweet and sour fish, to name a few. The customer then joins the line towards another row of tantalising dishes comprising kerabu daun selom, salted fish, mango salad, fried tempeh, and condiments like air asam and sambal belacan to top it off. Standing at the end of the line is Sofie, who handles the till while juggling delivery orders. My plate of ayam goreng berempah, kerabu daun selom, cucumber-pineapple salad, fried ikan bilis and ladles of mixed lauk came up to an affordable RM11. My colleague had something similar and was pleasantly delighted too at the price of her lunch. Gerai Kak Sofie opens from 6.30am to about 4pm. It is located at Stall P17, Kompleks Pasar dan Medan Selera PJ, Jalan 14/20, Petaling Jaya.
The Star
24-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Bridging digital, generational gap
Senior citizens at a digital workshop in Segambut. — Low Lay Phon/The Star Young volunteers in Segambut teaching senior citizens critical mobile app skills Having previously been unfamiliar with digital platforms, Segambut resident Joe Fong found a digital workshop near his Kuala Lumpur home incredibly useful. 'It is very interesting for us to learn something, especially the various platforms that allow us to use public transport and order food. 'Previously, I would just take buses to move around, but now that I've learned to use e-hailing apps, I can book myself a car to get around,' said the 63-year-old. Fong is a regular participant of digital workshops held at Pusat Nadi Segambut, an initiative by Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh's office. Nadi, the National Information Dissemination Centre, was formerly known as Digital Economy Centre. To date, the Segambut centre has hosted 13 workshops aimed at empowering the community, particularly senior citizens, to use various apps. Located at Jalan 8/38A, Taman Sri Sinar, the centre repurposed from a community hall offers an air-conditioned space for the community to rent laptops and access the Internet. Schoolchildren can also rent laptops to do their homework and studies. The most recent workshop taught participants to use the Pulse MyRapid app. Mohd Sharif Ujang, 74, said the workshops had enabled him to learn about using e-wallets for various payments. 'Although I am rather slow in learning, the trainers have been patient. 'I try to come here as much as possible and learn new things,' said Mohd Sharif. Yeoh's political secretary Yap Yee Vonne said the digital workshops began in March with the aim of helping senior citizens. 'We want to educate residents on using governmental services that are gradually moving from physical counters to mobile applications. 'They learn how to use the apps of Air Selangor, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Prasarana and Tenaga Nasional Bhd. 'This is a safe place for them to learn, ask questions and get themselves equipped with digital knowledge.' On the use of young volunteers to assist with digital teaching, Yap said, 'I think it is significant to bring generations together to foster a multi-generational relationship. 'We hope to continue to run more classes for all segments of society. 'Future workshops will cater to young working adults as well as youths about to start work.'
The Star
17-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Young Hippos prove their strength in foam dodgeball
Exciting scenes at MAD Youth Championship in the U12 Girls' and U12 Boys' (below) categories in Kuala Lumpur. — Photos: Low Lay Phon/The star Kuantan school's U12 Boys' and Girls' teams dominate youth meet, association introduces digital version of game Team Hippos showcased grit and precision after dominating the Under-12 Boys' and Girls' Foam category of Malaysia Association of Dodgeball (MAD) Youth Championship. The young talents from SK Permatang Badak in Kuantan, Pahang, secured a commanding lead in both finals, triumphing over Team Ghost. The U12 Boys' final saw a thrilling 3-2 victory for Team Hippos, while the U12 Girls' team secured the title with a convincing 3-1 win. Coach Mohamad Shahdan Abdul Ghafar expressed pride in his charges' performance. 'I am delighted that both teams lifted the trophies as some are handball players who only trained for a month. 'Given the similarities in basic principles between dodgeball and handball, they picked up the sport quickly. 'Our primary goal in joining this competition was to expose them to tournament play,' he said, adding that the team's distinctive name, 'Hippos', was inspired by their school. Team Ghost were first runners-up, with Team Kambes Dodgers in the Boys' and Team Rainos in the Girls' category as second runners-up. The tournament at a mall in Kuala Lumpur saw four categories for foam dodgeball – U12 and U15, Boys' and Girls' – and participation from over 400 players from Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Pahang. Mohamad Shahdan (back row, fourth from left) and other teachers with the winning Team Hippos U12 Girls' and Boys'. Team Hippos also participated in both the U15 Boys' and Girls' categories but were eliminated in the group stage in the former, and placed second runners-up in the latter. The top three in the U15 Boys' category were Team Zelts, Team MYDS and Team Invictus, while in the U15 Girls' category, Team Invictus were champions and Team MYDC, first runners-up. Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur Youth and Sports Department director Sabran Abd Bahar lauded the significant growth of dodgeball under the guidance of MAD. 'Dodgeball is recognised by Malaysia Sports Commission and despite being a relatively new sport at around 15 years old, its progress has been remarkable. 'The department consistently supports the sport and its ongoing development. 'It is truly encouraging to witness such widespread participation from schools in this tournament. We hope for the continued advancement and success of dodgeball in Malaysia,' he said. A highlight of the meet is digital dodgeball, depicted on screen as play ensues, and explained by Hado Malaysia representatives (below). It is part of MAD's roadmap to draw youths into the game. A highlight of the championship was the introduction of Digital Dodgeball, innovatively spearheaded by licensee Hado Malaysia which is also associated with MAD. This futuristic version of the sport sees three-player teams competing on a 6m x 10m field for 80 seconds per game. Armed with hand sensors and virtual displays, players score points by depleting opponents' four lives with charged virtual balls while applying shields to block incoming balls. MAD vice-president Otto Wong explained the strategic depth of Digital Dodgeball. 'The key strategy lies in players' flexibility to adjust virtual ball speed, ball size, charging speed and shield count,' he said. 'There's no single winning formula – players must communicate effectively and adapt their play style accordingly. 'This form of dodgeball is popular in Japan, South Korea, the US and United Kingdom.' Wong added that introducing Digital Dodgeball to a wider audience was a key part of MAD's roadmap. 'One of our primary objectives is to engage with youth and college students who are already familiar with e-sports. 'Digital Dodgeball shares certain game play elements with e-sports and we believe this will strongly appeal to the younger generation,' he said.
The Star
04-07-2025
- Health
- The Star
Cancer survivor goes from battle to blackboard
Proud moment: Aisyah posing for a photo after the 15th IPGM convocation ceremony. — Low Lay Phon/The Star KAJANG: Breast cancer survivor, Aisyah Humaira' Mohd Aqbal, is a step closer to achieving her ambition of becoming a Bahasa Melayu (BM) teacher. The 23-year-old Alor Setar native dedicated her achievement to her late mother, her pillar of strength who encouraged her to take up teaching. Graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Teaching with a major in BM for primary education, Aisyah said her journey was filled with obstacles – but she never gave up. She was diagnosed with Stage Four breast cancer last year. 'Right after the diagnosis, the doctor started me on chemotherapy. I went through nine sessions and it was a painful experience. 'We had to change the chemo drug three times because it wasn't working. Eventually, I was put on hormone therapy and now take medication daily,' she said during the Institute of Teacher Education Malaysia (IPGM) convocation ceremony in Bangi yesterday. Throughout her battle with cancer, Aisyah was determined to finish her studies. 'I didn't want to waste the five years I had put into this journey. 'Being sick was never an excuse. I was determined to complete this,' said the IPG Darulaman campus graduate. Even though she often missed classes on chemotherapy treatment days, Aisyah kept up with lessons thanks to her lecturers and friends. 'I would WhatsApp my lecturers after chemo sessions and catch up on what I missed. 'My friends really helped me, especially with assignments. They shared materials and even their food with me,' she said. The second of three siblings explained that her father was her other pillar that kept her strong. 'My father makes and delivers kuih to local shops in Alor Setar. He and my late mum built the business together, and now he continues it. '(My mother) had knee problems and couldn't walk, but in the end, it was a stroke and Covid-19 that took her. I just wish she could be here to witness this. 'My mum encouraged me to apply to IPGM after my Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exams. She always loved teaching and recommended me to major in teaching BM. 'If she were here, I'd just want to say thank you. This degree is for her,' she said. Asked what kept her motivated throughout her illness, she said it was all about purpose. 'Stay strong. If you feel down, look at the people around you. 'We all have someone we want to make proud – our parents, our siblings. Don't give up,' she said. The four-day 15th Education Ministry IPGM Convocation Ceremony, which started on June 30, involved 5,390 graduates who completed their studies and teacher training at 28 IPGM campuses and English Language Teaching Centres.
The Star
25-06-2025
- General
- The Star
Using newspapers to spark curiosity in classrooms
The 60 primary school teachers smiling for a group photo at the end of the workshop held at Menara Star, Petaling Jaya. — Photos: Low Lay Phon/The Star NEWSPAPER articles feature a wide variety of topics that can ignite curiosity among students and encourage them to explore further. Chang Siew Juen, a retired teacher who is now a freelance trainer, said she began using The Star's Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) content in classrooms nearly two decades ago. 'When I was first introduced to Star-NiE, I found its content, from vocabulary to grammar to writing exercises, incredibly useful. 'So I began using it regularly for my lessons,' she said during a workshop at Menara Star in Petaling Jaya. The workshop, organised in collaboration with the Petaling Utama District Education Office (PPD), was attended by 60 primary school English language teachers. During the session, teachers received tips on how to incorporate The Star into their daily lessons and in planning classroom activities. Chang, who has more than 30 years of teaching experience, said newspapers complement information found in textbooks. Teachers presenting a mind map of their lesson using newspaper cutouts. 'Newspapers contain a lot of localised current issues that students can relate to,' she said. 'News reports reflect events in their communities and students tend to find that very interesting,' she noted. Chang said there was value in physical reading materials such as newspapers, even in the digital age. 'Although digital devices are commonly used, excessive usage may be harmful to young children. 'These devices are also not allowed in schools. Newspapers, on the other hand, are a welcome addition in classrooms,' she said. Petaling Utama PPD School Improvement coaching specialist Christina Thevamalar said teachers who attended the workshops could implement what they learned and go on to share their knowledge with their colleagues. 'Teachers can get creative with newspapers, such as instructing students to cut out words and photos for class activities,' she said. 'This transforms the lesson into a multi-sensory activity, allowing students to use their motor skills while also improving their language skills,' she added. Workshop participants planning their lessons around the use of newspaper content. Christina raised concerns about reading habits that were declining among young children. 'Nowadays, many are glued to their devices. With newspapers, teachers can assign materials for pupils to read and discuss in classrooms,' she said. Also present was Star Media Group circulation department senior general manager (print) KS Goh, who thanked McDonald's Malaysia for sponsoring participants' goodie bags, and Munchy's for contributing LEXUS Chocolate Chip Cookies Dark Chocolate for this teachers workshop. Since its inception in 1997, Star-NiE has supported English language teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools nationwide. Star-NiE activities are available in StarEdu on Sundays and in StarLifestyle from Tuesdays to Fridays. For enquiries, email starnie@
