Introducing Huawei Mate XS and HMS

On Tuesday, Huawei brought out an impressive array of 5G-enabled products, including the newest iteration of their folding smartphone the Mate XS and Huawei Mobiles Services. 

The devices were launched via a global livestream broadcast from Barcelona, Spain.

Check out the impressive Huawei Mate XS below:

The foldable smartphone is an upgraded version of the Huawei Mate X that was unveiled a year ago. 

And it is retailing for €499 (RM11,399). 

Thursday evening, I had driven to Persiaran Setia Dagang in Setia Alam, Selangor – this was to take on the role of General Evaluator for the Top Glove Toastmasters Club meeting. 

I can tick off another meeting role which I’ve accomplished for my CL#29.

Luxembourg Offers Free Public Transport

Luxembourg tomorrow will become the first country anywhere in the world to offer a free public transport system as the government tries to reduce particularly dense car traffic. 

Some cities have already taken similar partial measures – but the country’s transport ministry said it was the only time such a decision had encompassed an entire nation. 

The free transport, which is being flagged as “an important social measure“, will affect approximately 40 percent of households and is likely to save each one around 100 euros ($110) per year.

Users only need to show an identification card to hop on a bus, train or streetcar. The measure will benefit 600,000 Luxembourg citizens and some 200,000 non-residents, mostly cross-border workers from Belgium, France and Germany who commute daily to the capital.  

Private cars are the most used means of transport in the Grand Duchy. According to a 2018 survey by TNS Ilres, cars accounted for 47 percent of business travel and 71 percent of leisure transport. In the meantime, buses are used for only 32 percent of trips to work, followed by trains at just 19 percent. 

In comparison, in Paris, 69% of workers use public transport, according to Insee, the French statistics institute. 

The exception to the free-for-all public transport system will be first-class travel on trains and certain night bus services. 

Celtic suffered a shock Europa League last-32 exit on Thursday after a match marred by errors and wastefulness. 

Neil Lennon's side seemed set for extra time when in the eighty-third minute, Odsonne Edouard dinked in a penalty and cancelled out FC Copenhagen’s 51st-minute opener. 

But the Danish champions netted twice on the break in the final five minutes to earn a 3-1 victory and a 4-2 aggregate win to mete out Celtic's first defeat in 2020.

Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve in Danger

On Wednesday, two hundred and fifty members of the Orang Asli community from 12 villages in the vicinity of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve had travelled to Shah Alam in eight buses to convey six letters of protest to the Selangor government. 

They are opposed to the proposed de-gazetting of the 930ha forest and urged the state government to reconsider the move. 

Last week Thursday, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari had defended the proposed de-gazetting of the forest because 40 percent of the forest no longer had elements of a virgin forest, among other factors. The state exco is expected to discuss the objections of the Orang Asli. 

The state government should know that they owed a fiduciary duty to the Orang Asli in respect of their customary land rights (see Kerajaan Negeri Selangor v Sagong Bin Tasi [2005] 6 MLJ 289). 

The Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve dispute is symptomatic of the refusal of the federal and state governments to legally recognize the rights of the Orang Asli to live on and off their ancestral lands. 

We must respect the Orang Asli’s rights because they are indigenous to that said domain. Plus the fact that they are Malaysians too. 

On Thursday, I was in Petaling Jaya, Selangor to attend the IJM Toastmasters meeting – where I delivered my CC#9 Persuade with Power titled Sunrise, Sunset – which is my project speech #875.

Thanks to Maheindran, Vice President Education for making this arrangement for me.

WSD 2020 Net 120 Registrations

World Speech Day 2020 has already amassed 120 registrations todate and I believe there are still more to come! We still have places – so for those up to the public speaking challenge, sign up today! Do it! 

#unexpectedvoices #worldspeechday

Monday’s EPL game against West Ham United saw the Reds fast out the blocks – and took the lead when in the ninth minute, Gini Wijnaldum stooped to head home from a Trent Alexander Arnold assist. 

The Hammers weren’t ready to surrender – and fought back with great determination to score two goals (12, 54). 

But in the sixty-eighth minute, a dreadful error by the opposing side’s goalie allowed Mohamed Salah's low shot to squirm through his legs. And as if on cue, Alexander-Arnold was the provider yet again – his hooked cross was met by Sadio Mane who converted into an empty net in the eighty-first minute. 

Liverpool won 3-2. This victory means Liverpool have equaled the English top-flight record of 18 successive wins, set by Manchester City from August to December 2017!

130 Toastmasters Awards in Communication and Leadership

Yesterday, I achieved my first KPI for Toastmasters – after 11 years, 7 months and 25 days! This means that I have collected a total of 130 Toastmasters awards in Communication and Leadership: 

My 130th award was for my seventh Advanced Communicator Gold title – when I did my 874th speech which was speech assignment #3 The Moral of the Story from the Storytelling manual – my speech title was Torn Between Two Lovers.

Six more speeches and I would have then delivered 880 project speeches which was my second KPI for Toastmasters. And I must do this in the next 35 days.

And so, yesterday was indeed a productive meeting at the Shah Alam Toastmasters Club – where I was also the Table Topics Master: