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- VP Hot Takes is our weekly roundup of tech and digital lifestyle news in Malaysia.
- You can also check out more in this segment by clicking here.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”article-inner vc-no-padding” css=”.vc_custom_1533788868188{background-color: #f3f3f3 !important;}”][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”‘Billion Dollar Whale’ Book On Jho Low Selling Fast” font_container=”tag:h1|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Once again, Malaysia is in international headlines again. However this time it isn’t our ex-prime minister but one of his best buddies, Jho Low. The Billion Dollar Whale Book was just released this week and reportedly sold out in one bookshop chain. Jho Low and his lawyers tried their best to stop the sale of the books by sending threatening letters to bookshops around the world in an attempt to block distribution of the new book written by Wall Street Journal reporters Bradley Hope and Tom Wright.
Certain parties have even released a PDF version of the book and circulated it throughout social media and WhatsApp. However please don’t go looking for it as Tom Wright, one of the book’s authors, urged members of the public from disseminating the leaked copy and said the publishing company would take legal action against anyone who forwarded the book since the copy has an embedded digital footprint.
The book describes how Malaysian Jho Low has been accused by the US government of masterminding the theft of billions of dollars from the Malaysian state-owned investment fund 1MDB, which was sent to bank accounts in Switzerland, Singapore and the Virgin Islands.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_speech_box author_id=”774″ author_image=”645478″ author_content=”One of the rare times I’m glad Malaysia made international headlines for, this shit’s entertaining AF. It sounds like a TV drama that I would binge watch on Netflix, so I’m excited to read this.”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_speech_box author_id=”846″ author_image=”645475″ author_content=”Since the book is already sold out in one bookstore chain and people are pirating it, it’s only time for someone to make a movie featuring Jason Leong as Jho Low and I’m sure that movie will be a hit!”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_speech_box author_id=”827″ author_image=”645476″ author_content=”Though I’m going to refrain from passing judgment, I think it’s worth noting just how nobody is safe from the dreaded public exposé. Interesting to see if this sets a precedent of some sort here in Malaysia.” href=”“https://cilisos.my/our-gomen-has-epic-plans-for-rfid-tags-and-its-gonna-be-for-more-than-just-tolls/“” target=”“_blank“”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_speech_box author_id=”849″ author_image=”645941″ author_content=”As someone who’s spent hours googling the whole 1MDB scandal, I’m pretty excited to get my hands on a copy. Coupled with the alleged threatening letters, I just hope this book has enough actual hard facts.”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_empty_space][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”article-content-boxed”][vc_column][vc_heading_with_icon background_color=”#f3f3f3″ heading_title=”Topics Of The Week” heading_icon=”news.svg”][vc_empty_space][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”648000″ img_size=”large” css=”.vc_custom_1537502073614{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Image Credit: Elite Readers[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”M’sians Cannot ‘Book’ Parking Spaces Or Else PDRM Will Fine Them RM2,000″ use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1537502968491{padding-top: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Thanks to social media now, we get to see the ugly side of Malaysians who like to stand in empty parking spaces and say that they are waiting for their friend, father, mother or even grandmother to park.
PDRM has come to save the day by announcing that it is illegal for unauthorised personnel (that means you, auntie), to “cop” a parking spot and divert traffic away from the empty space. If found guilty, the offender can be fined up to RM2,000 or face a maximum six months jail term.[/vc_column_text][vc_speech_box author_id=”846″ author_image=”645475″ author_content=”Although I haven’t encountered such an incident , I’m glad that the authorities are going to enforce the law on this. If it happened to me, I might enforce the law myself with my fists as Malaysians can be quite stubborn.”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”648001″ img_size=”large” css=”.vc_custom_1537502155358{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Image Credit: Pexels/Christopher[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Ban On Plastic Straws In KL, Putrajaya And Labuan In 2019″ use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1537503108488{padding-top: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]The Malaysian government has announced that plastic straws will be banned in all the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan from Jan 1 next year.
Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Adnan Mohd Ikhsan said businesses which are still found to be using plastic straws in 2019 risk having their business licence terminated. For those who don’t follow the rules they might be be fined, lose their deposits, have their trading items confiscated or even be imprisoned.[/vc_column_text][vc_speech_box author_id=”774″ author_image=”645478″ author_content=”I think this is a great idea! This is the least we can do as decent human beings for our planet cause most of us can’t be f*cked to do anything more. Plus this gives me an excuse to go shopping for cute reusable straws.”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”648013″ img_size=”large” css=”.vc_custom_1537505008318{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Image Credit: Android Authority[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Samsung Faces Nightmares Again As New Galaxy Note 9 Bursts In New York” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1537503519032{padding-top: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]New York real estate agent Diane Chung’s Note 9 caught fire on 3 September, less than two weeks after the smartphone’s launch. According to New York Post, Chung told the Queens Supreme Court that she had burned her fingers in the attempt to remove the smoking phone from her bag, then dropped it on the elevator floor and kicked it out.
As the burning phone allegedly destroyed all the contents of her bag, she has filed for unspecified damages. On top of that, she also filed for a restraining order that could bar the sales of the Galaxy Note 9 altogether.[/vc_column_text][vc_speech_box author_id=”827″ author_image=”645476″ author_content=”So much for Samsung making fun of Apple with their ‘Ingenius’ series of ads. The latest slip-up (if it did happen) might be a latest in a series of snafus, or it might just be a one-off kinda thing. Gotta wonder how Samsung will fare if they have to do another massive round of recalls on their latest flagship.”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”648005″ img_size=”large” css=”.vc_custom_1537504892115{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Image Credit: ABCNewsGo[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Malaysia’s Voting Age Lowered From 21 To 18″ use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1537503722006{padding-top: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]In the next general elections, Malaysians can exercise their rights to vote even if they are aged 18, said Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman. It was decided following a Cabinet decision this week, Syed Saddiq said he would work closely with youth leaders from all political parties and members of the Youth Parliament to discuss and gather views on the matter.
Under the country’s laws, 18 is the legal age of adulthood, and is considered an age to take full responsibility of one’s actions, such as being eligible for a driving test, get married or to sign contracts.[/vc_column_text][vc_speech_box author_id=”849″ author_image=”645941″ author_content=”This has been mooted for many years, but without any real action. The public opinion is largely split down the middle. Me? I can’t really decide. On one hand, you should have the right to exercise your democratic rights if you’re old enough to serve your country. On the other hand, 18-year-olds…”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Feature Image Credit: New York Post
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