Almost A Year Around The Sun: Here’s What Has Happened In 2024 So Far
From the launch of EPF’s Account 3 to hurricanes elsewhere, 2024 is a rollercoaster ride.
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It’s almost a year around the Sun and so many things have happened. Time always seems to fly by really fast.
If you haven’t been paying much attention, here’s a minor recap of things that are happening in and outside Malaysia:
1. EPF’s Account 3 launched in May
The Employees Provident Fund’s Account 3 launched on 12 May to varying receptions. Account 3 aka Akaun Fleksibel allows EPF members to withdraw a partial of their retirement savings at any time.
READ MORE: Should You Withdraw From Account 3? Here Are Some Things To Consider Long Term
2. Celebrity divorces
This year, we’ve heard, read, or stumbled upon news of divorces, especially among celebrities. These couples had tried to make it work for years but eventually, they had to face the music: It just wasn’t working out.
Some celebrity couples who have divorced or separated include Jezamine Lim and Harith Iskander, Bella Astillah and Aliff Aziz, Nur Fazura Sharifuddin and Fattah Amin, Nora Danish and Nedim Nazri, and Emma Maembong and Muhammad Shazli Azhar.
Although it’s sad news, divorces should be seen as the start of a new chapter, a completion of a relationship, and not the end of things. Many children from divorced families have also said it was better for unhappy parents to separate than forcing the family to stay together.
In other words, the “stay for the kids” thing is unhealthy (and sometimes unsafe) in some cases. Some divorced couples have shared that the separation allowed them to be better parents. This was because they were more relaxed, felt safer, and could focus on parenting instead of constantly fighting with their partner.
3. The notoriety of Adeline Chang
A woman named Adeline Chang began to make waves due to her bizarre behaviours. She was infamous for hitching e-hailing rides and running away upon reaching her destination so she didn’t have to pay the fares.
Chang also held live stream sessions and made demands, talked about the qualities she looks for in a man, and more. Some might say she was oversharing.
Chang’s sister, Alice, recently went viral for kissing dough in her hands while working at an Auntie Anne’s outlet. She was swiftly fired while the shop closed to be sanitised.
Chang once shared on her livestream that her sister Alice was prescribed diazepam, commonly used to treat anxiety, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, and muscle spasms. The revelation hints at potential complexities in their personal lives that aren’t fully known to the public which may explain their bizarre behaviours.
4. Unveiling GISB Holdings
The Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB) Holdings Sdn Bhd had allegedly been carrying out questionable activities for years. Since 11 September, Op Global rescued 572 children and teenagers and arrested more than 300 individuals, including the top management.
The children under their care have been allegedly sexually assaulted and the children were allegedly forced to perform similar acts among themselves too.
It was also revealed that members were allegedly not allowed to leave the company. Loyal members raised the ranks to become leaders and were given women as wives.
The Star reported that the business empire houses 425 polygamous families and 1,231 monogamous families. Most children didn’t live with their parents as the married couples only allegedly cared for a few under their roofs.
GISB is also said to be following the Aurad Muhammadiah doctrine which distorts the true teachings of Islam. The business empire allegedly had not paid any taxes since its establishment.
5. Diesel subsidy rationalisation
Malaysia removed diesel subsidies on 1 June 2024 to curb illegal activities and reduce the country’s financial burden.
To help with the transition, the government launched Budi Madani, a diesel subsidy programme for private vehicle owners, agriculture, and commodity smallholders.
Under Budi Madani, there are three categories: Budi Individu, Budi Agri-Komoditi, and MySubsidi Diesel.
The Finance Ministry also launched the Subsidised Diesel Control System (SKDS) 1.0 and 2.0 to help public transport and logistic vehicles, respectively.
READ MORE: Is RM200 Budi Diesel Aid Sufficient? – We Break Down The Math So You Don’t Have To
6. Israel is now bombing other places
For the past months, Israel has been bombing Palestine, especially the Gaza Strip, and is still doing so. Since it’s already October, we have reached the anniversary of the Gaza bombing.
Israel is now bombing Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon as well. Based on history, it’s not the first time Israel targeted these countries and it doesn’t seem like they’ll stop anytime soon.
7. Gisele Pelicot turns the shame on rapists
Pornhub is deleting videos with 'sleep/sleeping' in the title and now sends a warning message about how the content is illegal/nonconsensual when people search for sleeping videos
— Women Posting W's (@womenpostingws) September 10, 2024
Thank you to Gisele Pelicot and every woman who's fought to make this world a safer place for women https://t.co/jWXL2SOEvZ
71-year-old Gisele Pelicot discovered that her husband drugged her and invited male strangers to rape her for a decade. The husband, Dominique Pelicot, also recorded the sexual assaults committed by 72 men.
Some men were single but the accused rapists also included family men, married, or divorced. The accused rapists, over 50 of them, are all hauled to court.
Gisele had the option to have a private trial but she decided to make the proceedings public to support and raise awareness for other victims of similar crimes.
I speak for all women who are drugged and don’t know about it, I do it on behalf of all women who will perhaps never know.
Gisele Pelicot
During the trial, the court allowed the public to see some of the video recordings of the alleged rapes. Gisele’s lawyers said the videos are crucial for a full understanding of the trial, especially when some have denied the rape allegations.
Gisele said victims should not be ashamed and that it’s the abusers, the perpetrators, who should be ashamed.
It’s a way of saying… shame must change sides.
Gisele’s attorney, Stephane Babonneau
On December 2024, Dominique was given a 20-year prison sentence for orchestrating and committing mass rapes against his wife. The other 50 men were found guilty and handed various sentences of between three and 15 years.
8. Congo conflict
All eyes on Congo 🇨🇩, millions of people have been killed, displaced and properties destroyed already. But the world seems to be blind. pic.twitter.com/eeFWSyEET0
— Typical African (@Joe__Bassey) May 29, 2024
The Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and the M23 rebel group clashed in the country’s North Kivu province.
It forced thousands of civilians to flee their homes with dozens killed and hundreds of thousands displaced since January 2024.
M23 also shelled Goma airport, damaging Congolese military aircraft. The latest conflict stemmed from the Rwandan genocide in 1994. More of Congo’s decades-long conflict can be best understood here.
9. Typhoon and hurricane hour
A few typhoons and hurricanes had been “whipping” about this year. In September, Typhoon Bebinca hit Shanghai. It was the strongest typhoon to hit Shanghai in 75 years.
Typhoon Bebinca penetrated deep into Jiangsu, with the maximum gust in Suzhou reaching 42.1m/s, and wind speeds in many places breaking historical records pic.twitter.com/MGjTLJUn7C
— Jim (@yangyubin1998) September 16, 2024
Meanwhile, in the United States, Hurricane Helene devastated areas from Florida to the Appalachian mountains in late September. The hurricane caused more than 200 deaths and many people were left with completely destroyed homes. Some refused or couldn’t evacuate as there was nowhere else to go.
Hurricane Milton is projected to hit Tampa Bay, Florida today. Hurricane Milton slowed to a category 4 hurricane before strengthening to Category 5 in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s said Hurricane Milton could be one of the worst storms to hit Florida in a century.
This is Anna Maria Island, near Tampa, after Helene. A complete loss- looks like a bomb went off. The residents didn’t have time to clear this debris before having to evacuate again for Hurricane Milton, which will be a major hurricane when it hits on Wednesday. Heart breaking. pic.twitter.com/YbCJbYBXVc
— Ella Dorsey (@Ella__Dorsey) October 7, 2024
10. Public figures dying
Former member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly for Kuala Kubu Baharu, Lee Kee Hiong, passed at 58 due to cancer on 21 March 2024. This triggered the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election on 11 May 2024. Pakatan Harapan’s Pang Sock Tao won the majority votes in the bby-election.
Former ADUN Mahkota Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain passed on 2 August 2024. This triggered the Mahkota by-election on 28 September 2024. Barisan Nasional’s Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah won the majority votes for Melaka’s state seat.
Raja Petra Kamarudin, known for his highly polarising and critical pieces, passed at 74 in Manchester, United Kingdom on 9 September 2024.
British actress Dame Maggie Smith passed at 89 in London on 27 September 2024, on the same day a year after the late Sir Michael Gambon, who played Dumbledore in the Harry Potter franchise.
Smith played Professor Minerva McGonagall in the films and has played many beloved characters on screen such as Mother Superior in Sister Act films, Violet Crawley the Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey, and Granny Wendy in the film Hook (1991).
11. Mahathir is still alive and tweeting
Malaysia’s OG prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is pushing 99 years old and he’s still out and about. He’s currently the oldest living former Malaysian prime minister (he will not let us go! JK).
Despite retiring, he’s still actively tweeting his thoughts and views online. Yup, he has seen the social media platform change to its current name X. He also likely had to deal with Elon Musk’s ever-changing tantrum (X’s changes) like the rest of us on the platform.
His post yesterday was about the disparity between the rich and the poor.
READ MORE: Four Aircraft Disasters In One Weekend: Here’s What Happened
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