Latest news with #RM388
The Star
7 hours ago
- General
- The Star
Trader sizzles her way to wok of fame
Search for the best: A cook (above) giving his all at the char kuey teow competition held at Toi Shan Ningyang Wui Kwon, a clan temple in King Street, George Town, as the crowd (below) gets to have a taste. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star GEORGE TOWN: It was a fiery showdown as 30 of Penang's top char kuey teow traders competed over roaring flames for the coveted title of the state's best. The intense cook-off, aimed at uncovering the finest char kuey teow and ultimate wok hei (breath of the wok), saw contestants battling it out with their own secret recipes. Held at the Toi Shan Ningyang Wui Kwon clan temple in King Street, a smoky aroma filled the air as an eager crowd gathered to see each contestant dish out their version of the popular street food. Contestants brought their own seasoned woks, cockles, lap cheong (Chinese sausage), sauces and cooking oil. Other ingredients including flat rice noodles or kuey teow, eggs, bean sprouts and white prawns, along with stoves and gas supply were provided by the organisers. It took less than two minutes for each contestant to dish out their plate of char kuey teow, which was then judged by a panel of six for presentation, aroma and taste. Penang Koo Soo Kwong Choon Tong Restaurant and Tea Shop Association chairman Vinah Yee, who was on the panel of judges, said char kuey teow with the most ingredients was not necessarily the best. 'Each component should be balanced and complement the dish without overpowering the overall flavour. 'One of the key criteria we looked for was the presence of wok hei, that distinct aroma and flavour created when food is stir-fried over intense heat in a seasoned wok. 'If the strands of kuey teow stick together, they may not cook evenly, become gummy and lose that wok hei flavour. 'High flames may look impressive, but if the heat is too strong, the noodles can become over-charred and have a burnt taste,' said Yee. After two hours of sizzling action and clanging woks, Ong Siew Kean, 53, of Hean Char Koay Teow in Jalan Burma, Pulau Tikus, was crowned champion. 'This is my first competition and I am grateful to be recognised. I never thought my char kuey teow was anything special but I'm glad my effort paid off. 'Maybe it was my sauce blend that made the difference as soy sauce plays a crucial role in creating a flavourful dish,' she said. Ong, who is fondly known as Winny, said she began frying char kuey teow in her 20s but took a break before returning to the trade about three years ago. 'My brother-in-law taught me the basics and over time, I tweaked the recipe to suit my taste,' she said. Ong, who fries up about 200 plates of char kuey teow on weekends, said she was looking forward to an influx of customers following her win. Second place went to Chin Foh Shin, 51, of Hobe Kedai Makanan & Minuman, Butterworth, while third place was awarded to Khoo Kay Keat, 47, of Kong Long Char Koay Teow in Beng Chin Garden, Air Itam. The three winners received RM388, RM288 and RM188 respectively, presented by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. The competition was jointly organised by the Village Community Management Council of Padang Kota and Jalan Transfer/Jalan Argyll, along with Toi Shan Ningyang Association, and promoted by Kwangtung and Tengchow Association of Penang.
The Star
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Eric Tsang, Chin Ka-lok & more to hold concert in Genting Highlands on July 19
Hong Kong actors Eric Tsang (left), Chin Ka-lok and more are set to perform in Genting Highlands on July 19. Photos: China Press, Chin Ka-lok/Instagram Hong Kong variety show Super Trio is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a special live concert on July 19 at the Arena of Stars, Resorts World Genting. Leading the milestone event is none other than the show's original host Eric Tsang, who will also be joined on stage by fellow actors Chin Ka-lok, Louis Yuen, Mayanne Mak and Kirby Lam. Fans can look forward to a night filled with laughter, nostalgia and surprises as the cast brings back some of the show's most memorable game segments, alongside exciting new ones. Attendees also stand a chance at receiving exclusive 30th anniversary memorabilia to commemorate the occasion. Since its debut in 1995, Super Trio quickly rose to become one of the most beloved variety programmes in both Malaysia and Hong Kong. The show initially ended its run with the airing of the final episode on Jan 12, 2014, but was revived eight years later in 2022 with the new series Super Trio Returns . Tickets for Wow! Super! Happy 30 Years, priced between RM388 and RM1,068, are now available for GRC Gold Members and above, as well as Visa cardholders. Public sale will be available via on from June 3, noon onwards.
The Star
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Char koay teow cooks set to battle for glory
War of the woks: Every cook will try to cook up a storm for their own version of char koay teow. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star GEORGE TOWN: The search for the gold standard of char koay teow is set to begin in what will surely be a heated showdown. Come Sunday, 30 hawkers will be firing up their woks to fight for the title of Penang char koay teow champion. The rice noodle dish was once described by BBC as 'Malaysia's most famous street food' and that 'the best char koay teow can be found in Penang'. The action will kick off at 11am in front of Toi Shan Ningyang Wui Kwon, a clan temple in King Street. Each contender will whip up 40 plates of the iconic stir-fried dish. Koay Ee Teng, the vice-chairman of the Jalan Transfer/Jalan Argyll village community management council (MPKK) which is one of the joint organisers, said the competition would surely dish out 'heated' action and the use of 'secret' recipes and techniques. 'When it comes to flavour, every cook has their own secret weapon, so all of them will bring their own sauces and wok,' she said. 'Ingredients like prawns, eggs, bean sprouts and noodles will be provided along with a toque, apron and gas supply.' The top three winners will walk away with RM388, RM288 and RM188 respectively. There will also be two consolation prizes of RM88 each. Winners will also get certificates of recognition as a badge of honour to be displayed at their stalls. 'The real prize isn't the money. What the cooks really want is prestige,' said Koay. She added that participants in the 2023 competition saw a surge in their business afterwards. The 2023 edition saw Koh Gee How of Penang Auntie (Big Prawn) Char Koay Teow in Bukit Mertajam take the crown, with Por Leong Teik (Chulia Street) and Low Ping Kean (KK 99 Cafe, Tanjung Bungah) securing the second and third spots. This Sunday's battle is the second time that such a contest is being held. The competition is jointly organised by the MPKK of Padang Kota and Jalan Transfer/Jalan Argyll, and Toi Shan Ningyang Association, and promoted by Kwangtung and Tengchow Association Penang. Koay said the public is welcome to savour the food and enjoy the experience. 'It is a celebration of one of Penang's most iconic and beloved street foods,' she added.
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
CelcomDigi posts resilient Q1 results, declares 3.7 sen interim dividend
PETALING JAYA: CelcomDigi Bhd delivered resilient results for the first quarter of financial year 2025 (Q1'25) with growth in revenue and profit after tax (PAT) while its core business stabilised. This achievement, CelcomDigi said in a statement today, sets the company in the right direction for sustained profitable growth as the nation's largest mobile network operator. Total revenue grew 1.2% year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM3.209 billion, while earnings before interest and tax (Ebit) registered growth of 21.3% y-o-y to RM696 million, and PAT improved 4.6% y-o-y to RM388 million as a result of prudent cost management in trimming operational expenditure and lower depreciation and amortisation. Adjusted for non-recurring items (severance packages in Q1'24 and rights-of-use impairments in Q4'24), Ebit would have been RM758 million, while PAT was at RM434 million. The company declared a first interim dividend of 3.7 sen per share, in line with its sustainable dividend commitment to shareholders. Integration and transformation initiatives progressed as planned across network, IT and retail, with intensified efforts in driving customer and operational excellence across the organisation. CelcomDigi's network integration and modernisation reached about 80% completion as of end-March 2025, with six states completed. The company continued to ramp up IT consolidation activities, with 28 out of over 50 systems integrated to date, with a target of achieving approximately 75% of systems integrated by year end. This will enable seamless, personalised digital experiences at scale for its customers, and will strengthen the company's customer positioning. CelcomDigi's retail transformation continued to advance, with over 50 new digital-concept stores launched to date, resulting in higher sales productivity and enhanced customer engagements. CelcomDigi is now embarking on the next phase of transforming more than 300 exclusive partner stores. Upon completion, the company will form one of Malaysia's largest branded retail chains of digital products distribution, well-positioned to support Malaysians' evolving digital lifestyles. As a flow-through of cost efficiencies from these integration initiatives, the company remains on track to deliver steady-state annualised cost savings of around RM700 million to RM800 million post-2027. CEO Datuk Idham Nawawi said, 'We are pleased to report an encouraging start to 2025, with our first quarter performance delivering growth in revenue, Ebit, and PAT. This reflects the continued strength of our core business and disciplined execution of our strategic priorities. 'We are progressing well in creating pathways for sustained profitable growth through four strategic focus areas – solidifying market leadership, enhancing customer experience, driving operational excellence, and investing for the future. Our prioritisation on customer and operational excellence continues to underpin our performance, supported by ongoing investments in enhancing our network infrastructure, technology platform capabilities, and talent bench strength, alongside disciplined cost management. 'With these efforts, we are well-positioned to deliver long-term value to our customers and stakeholders, and to compete effectively in a dynamic and competitive market.'
![MARKET PULSE PM APRIL 22, 2025 [WATCH]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fimages%2Farticles%2Fpalspm22_NSTfield_image_socialmedia.var_1745319988.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![MARKET PULSE PM APRIL 22, 2025 [WATCH]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fassets%2FNST-Logo%402x.png%3Fid%3Db37a17055cb1ffea01f5&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
New Straits Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
MARKET PULSE PM APRIL 22, 2025 [WATCH]
KUALA LUMPUR: News on stock, crypto and ringgit moves. Bursa Malaysia's 30-stock benchmark index declined amid rising global uncertainty and the resurgence of trade tensions under US President Donald Trump. The index ended the day down 0.88 per cent, settling at 1,486. The ringgit ended lower against the US dollar, closing at 4.3850. Analysts said while a softer US dollar may offer some short-term support for the ringgit, persistent global risk aversion is expected to cap any significant gains. In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin is currently trading at RM388,250 after subdued trading, while Ethereum stands at RM7,149. Solana is priced at RM612. That wraps up today's Market Pulse.
