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Family legacy

ABOVE & BELOW: Ann Wong crafts leather items like wallets, handbags and belts; and Wong learnt the tricks of the trade of the tannery business from her father, Shang Teck. PHOTO: ANN WONG

ANN/THE STAR – Ann Wong used to assist her father’s tannery in Port Klang, Selangor in Malaysia when she was in primary school.

She said she and her siblings would spend their school holidays by helping her father at his factory back in 1980s.

She added that they grew up in a conventional Chinese home and their family is very close.

“Our parents worked hard and we (children) would help with simple tasks like typing, packing leather goods, and measuring or cutting leather strips. My siblings and I practically grew up rolling in leather,” said Wong, 42, in an interview at her workshop in Port Klang, Selangor.

Wong’s journey, from helping out in her father’s workshop to becoming a pivotal part of the family-run business, Kelang Leather, is inspiring. She holds a degree in accountancy but her interest in the family business led her to decide to leave her corporate career to focus on the tannery.

“I have always been fascinated by the leather business and how to make it profitable.

“I’ve to look at global raw hide prices, imported leather tanning and finishing chemicals, leather machinery and most importantly, how to produce leather.

“To me, this is much more interesting than a desk job. Ironically, till today, my job still sees me doing costing every day,” she said.

ABOVE & BELOW: Ann Wong crafts leather items like wallets, handbags and belts; and Wong learnt the tricks of the trade of the tannery business from her father, Shang Teck. PHOTO: ANN WONG
PHOTO: ANN WONG
Wong aims to teach more people the skill of leather crafting. PHOTO: ANN WONG
ABOVE & BELOW: Wong working on a product; and closer look at the tools used. PHOTO: ANN WONG
PHOTO: ANN WONG

Today, Wong crafts a range of leather items like wallets, handbags, and belts and the fact that the industry is male-dominated doesn’t faze her one bit; instead she talks about the increasing number of women breaking out in the leather trade.

“Being able to make leather products is a great privilege. And many women are breaking barriers and showcasing exceptional design, crafting, and management skills.

“As with any field, women are proving their mettle, crafting high-quality goods, leading businesses, and sharing their creativity with others.

“In this day and age where everything moves very fast, leathercrafting has taught me to be patient and resilient; sort of like turning a leather sheet into a usable product… it is a long but very rewarding process.”

FROM TANNERY TO ARTISTRY

Established in 1983, Kelang Leather was founded by Wong’s father, German-trained leathersmith and tanner Wong Shang Teck.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the tannery used to employ almost 100 workers, producing footwear for the Royal Malaysia Police and other small leather goods.

“Fast forward 40 years later, the demand for leather raw materials has diminished as manufacturing of leather and leather goods for the commercial market is no longer economically feasible in Malaysia due to the rising cost of labour and material.

“Many consumers find it cheaper to buy leather products from China. The situation is very much affected by the limited supply of factory workers in our country too,” shared Wong, who currently runs the business with only eight staff.

In 2018, due to poor health, Shang Teck passed the business down to Wong and her younger brother, Alec.

Wong concedes that promoting local leather products for the global market has significant challenges.

For one, established luxury brands from countries like Italy, France, and Britain boast heritage, craftsmanship, and prestige synonymous with luxury.

“Also, for big brands, a majority of its cost is spent on marketing and advertising, aside from maintaining the quality of the products they sell.”

She is thankful for government campaigns like Buy Malaysian Products which encourage consumers to support local businesses and products, thereby boosting the domestic economy. When people buy Malaysian-made products, it directly contributes to job creation and economic growth within the country.

“Many homegrown companies have a policy of buying from Malaysian manufacturers.

“For example, the Buy Malaysian Products campaign and tax incentives for manufacturers can help lower the cost of manufacturing.”

The mother of two adds that this will enable local leathersmiths to sustain their production, using high-quality leather and not man-made “lookalikes”. Real leather, she said, is not just more versatile but also more durable.

“Leather is not expensive if you consider how long-lasting it is if well maintained.

“If leathersmiths choose to use alternative materials, they will not be considered leather crafters,” said Wong, who shares photos of her products on Instagram.

The rawhide used in Kelang Leather’s creations are sourced from different countries that specialise in specific types of leather.

For example, India offers buffalo leathers suitable for heavy-duty applications such as for making boots and shoe soles.

“Italy uses top quality leather hides – with vegetable tanning (plant-based chemicals) – which are more widely used for high street fashion products. These items can fetch a higher selling price.

“Meanwhile, France and Pakistan export goat and sheep leather – thin and fine-grained – suitable for many types of small leather goods and garments.”

She added that leather products are sustainable as they are byproducts of the food industry that are up-cycled.

“If these leathers were not processed and repurposed into belts, bags and shoes, these skins will end up in the landfills.

“So, in the spirit of sustainability and environmentally-friendly purchases, buy something made out of genuine leather today,” she said.

Over the years, the family-owned tannery has diversified its operations and now specialises in leather sheets, tools, accessories, adhesives, and leather care products.

They also run workshops and training sessions for leather crafters. Aside from managing the business and crafting leather goods, Wong conducts workshops that cover the nuts and bolts of leather crafting, from identifying leather types, introducing crafting tools, pattern-making, stitching, to finishing techniques.

CRAFTING LEATHER MASTERY

“We have been running workshops since 2018. So far, we have trained over 100 students from all walks of life, from students to fashion designers, craft lovers and retirees.

“Our aim is to teach more and more people the skill of leather crafting.

“Aside from being a hobby, this is a trade that can be done from home. With the right tools and tabletop-sized machines, you can custom make any product or design that you heart desires – from horse saddles, quivers for archery, knife sheaths, to wallets, belts, handbags and shoes. The possibilities are endless and finished products are easily sold through online craft stores like Etsy, or at local craft markets.”

Leather crafting, she said, provides an outlet for one’s creativity and artistic skills that we otherwise may not have a chance to express.

“The sense of achievement from creating a product by hand is very fulfilling and satisfying. Some say it is therapeutic.”

Wong’s journey in the tannery her father built stands out and is one of the few remaining time-honoured crafts that are standing proud.

Her story is a reminder that innovation can flourish even in the most traditional of crafts. – Sheela Chandran

Top Thai protest leader jailed on royal insult charges

Anon Nampa. PHOTO: AFP

BANGKOK (AFP) – A Thai court yesterday jailed one of the leading figures in the kingdom’s youth-led pro-democracy protest movement for four years on royal insult charges.

Thailand has some of the world’s strictest royal defamation laws, which shield King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his close family from criticism and which critics say have been weaponised to silence dissent.

Anon Numpa, a 39-year-old human rights lawyer and activist, was convicted yesterday at Bangkok Criminal Court over a speech he made during the protests in 2020.

At their peak the demonstrations drew tens of thousands to the streets, with some making unprecedented calls for reforms to the monarchy, and for changes to the lese-majeste law, which carries a 15-year prison sentence. Yesterday’s case was first of 14 lese-majeste charges against Anon.

“Loss of personal freedom is a sacrifice I’m willing to make,” Anon told reporters as he entered the court with his partner and their baby, ahead of the sentence.

He raised a three-finger salute as he walked in – a symbol adapted from the Hunger Games films that became synonymous with the demonstrations.

Anon Nampa. PHOTO: AFP

“We’ve come a long way and we’ve seen lots of changes in the Thai political scene since the movement back in 2020,” he said. “If I get sentenced to prison today, it might be many years but it will be worth it.”

The court also fined him THB20,000 (USD550) for violating an emergency decree in effect at the time.

Following the verdict, his lawyer Krisadang Nutcharas described Anon as an “innocent man” and said they would probably appeal.

“The family and friends are trying to submit bail for a temporary release,” he told reporters outside court. Anon is one of more than 150 activists who have been charged under lese-majeste laws, often referred to as “112” after the relevant section of the criminal code.

Ahead of the hearing, dozens of young political activists – many wearing shirts emblazoned with “No 112” – waited to show support. Andrea Giorgetta of the International Federation for Human Rights told AFP the jail time was “severe”, describing it as “a long prison sentence for exercising your rights”.

“It is certainly a dark day for justice,” he said outside court.

He said the conviction rate under 112 remained close to 100 per cent.

“The only question remains how many years you will get, and whether the court will decide if you can be awarded bail.”

Amnesty International’s regional researcher for Thailand Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong also condemned the verdict.

“Today’s conviction is yet another indicator that Thailand’s space for freedom of expression is vanishing,” he told AFP.

Chanatip said more than 1,800 people had faced broad criminal charges since the demonstrations.

“These charges are the shameful legacy of Thailand’s previous administration that has yet to be remedied by the new government.”

In a general election in May, the progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) won the most seats partly on a promise to reform lese-majeste laws.

But MFP was shut out of government by conservative pro-royalist forces in the Senate.

Indonesia’s efforts to tackle human trafficking not enough, say activists

Police present human trafficking suspects during a press conference in Jambi, Indonesia. PHOTO: THE JAKARTA POST

ANN/THE JAKARTA POST – Activists and members of humanitarian organisations criticised the Indonesian government’s response to human trafficking during a lecture, claiming that more needed to be done.

The conference, ‘Justice and Mercy: Uniting to Eradicate Human Trafficking,’ organised by the Rumah Hati Suci orphanage and the Women Gospel Community was held in South Jakarta, Indonesia. The three keynote speakers were Mia Marina from the non-governmental organisation Integritas Justitia Madani Indonesia, Irena Handayani from Talitha Kum Indonesia, an organisation of Catholic nuns fighting human trafficking, and Chrisanctus Paschalis Saturnus, better known as Romo Paschal, a priest and human rights activist in Batam, Riau Islands province.

Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati, better known as Bintang Puspayoga, also participated in the event. She opened the seminar with a speech focusing on the current state of human trafficking in Indonesia.

“Indonesia has the greatest number of victims of human trafficking in Southeast Asia. And yet, when we look at the cases, we only see the tip of the iceberg. There are many other cases that likely go unreported,” she said.

The urgent need to act prompted the government, acting on Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s instructions, to overhaul a human trafficking task force in June to scale up its efforts to stop exploitation and to protect vulnerable jobseekers.

The changes include transferring the task force’s leadership from Bintang to the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim), because the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry did not have the authority to conduct criminal investigations into human trafficking cases.

This reflected the government’s “strong commitment to ending human trafficking”, Bintang said. “But it cannot be done alone without the help of the public. These kinds of communities (like the one formed by the seminar) are important so that we can work together.”

Since taking over the task force, the police have named over 900 suspects and rescued 2,425 victims as of August.

Police present human trafficking suspects during a press conference in Jambi, Indonesia. PHOTO: THE JAKARTA POST

Candy company in Japan finds a sweet sustainable solution

A display of cacao husks and products made from them. PHOTO: JAPAN NEWS

THE JAPAN NEWS – Major confectionery maker Meiji Holdings Co launched a brand of home goods made of cacao husks, the inedible shells of the cocoa fruit not used when chocolate is made.

The Cacao Style brand includes eight products, such as accessory cases, paper-cup holders and flower vases. The products are characterised by the sweet aroma of chocolate.

About 500,000 tonnes of cacao husks are generated annually worldwide. The husks are removed during the process to manufacture chocolate. They were previously used only as animal feed or fuel, among other purposes.

“We want to create a system that will enrich both our customers and workers in the cacao industry,” said Chief Operating Officer of Meiji’s food segment Katsunari Matsuda.

A display of cacao husks and products made from them. PHOTO: JAPAN NEWS

Two allies of Myanmar junta chief investigated for corruption: source

Myanmar bank notes. PHOTO: THE STAR

AFP – Two close allies of Myanmar’s top general have been removed from the junta’s ruling council and are being investigated for corruption, a military source told AFP on Monday.

A former home affairs minister Soe Htut, was “returning to military duty”, according to state broadcaster Myawaddy, which announced a reshuffle of the State Administration Council – as the junta calls itself.

The military source also confirmed local media reports that a former chairman of the junta’s investment commission Moe Myint Tun was similarly facing a graft probe.

The reshuffled list of council members broadcast by Myawaddy did not include Moe Myint Tun, who also sat on the boards of two sprawling military-run conglomerates with interests in everything from jade to tobacco to tourism.

“Lieutenant General Soe Htut and Lieutenant General Moe Myint Tun… are being investigated in corruption cases,” a military source told AFP.

“We do not know what will happen to Moe Myint Tun,” the source said, declining to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. An official from the junta-stacked election commission was also replaced in the reshuffle, as was a deputy commerce minister, Myawady reported.

The economy has slumped since the military’s 2021 power-grab, with the local kyat currency plunging against the dollar and business sentiment and forex reserves hammered by roiling conflict and sanctions.

The official exchange rate for the kyat is currently just over 2,000 per dollar, but in recent months the greenback has fetched up to 3,600 on the black market.

Authorities revoked the licences of 166 money changers between March to September, for failing to comply with central bank regulations, state media reported last week.

Myanmar bank notes. PHOTO: THE STAR

Barking success

People and their dogs attend the Guinness World Record Breaking Screening in support of ‘PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie’ at the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles, California, United States. PHOTO: AFP

UPI – A gathering of 219 dogs and their owners marked the preview of Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest canine audience at a film screening.

This extraordinary outdoor screening unfolded at Griffith Park in Los Angeles, graced by the presence of Guinness World Records adjudicator Michael Empric. He officially confirmed the count of dogs in the movie’s “paw-dience”.

Empric declared that the 219 dogs in attendance surpassed the previous record of 199 dogs, which had been established in October 2022.

The record attempt was organised by Paramount Pictures, the studio behind Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, in partnership with the Los Angeles-based Best Friends Animal Society.

“I hope people reading about this milestone will be inspired to get out and adopt,”

Executive Director of the Best Friends Animal Society Brittany Thorn said in a news release.

People and their dogs attend the Guinness World Record Breaking Screening in support of ‘PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie’ at the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles, California, United States. PHOTO: AFP

Imran Khan remains behind bars as cases pile up

Police officers patrol a road leading to the District Jail, in Attock, Pakistan. PHOTO: AP

ISLAMABAD (AP) – A Pakistani court yesterday extended custody for former prime minister Imran Khan on charges that he had revealed state secrets after his 2022 ouster, and ordered that he remain in custody for two more weeks.

The development is the latest in an unprecedented pile up of legal cases against the country’s top opposition leader and hugely popular former cricket star turned politician.

Since his ouster in a no-confidence vote in Parliament in April last year, Khan has campaigned against Shehbaz Sharif, who succeeded him.

The legal imbroglio underscores the deepening political turmoil in Pakistan since Khan’s ouster and ahead of the next parliamentary elections, due in the last week of January.

Sharif stepped down last month at the completion of Parliament’s term and an interim government took over to steer Pakistan through the elections.

Khan is facing over 150 cases, including charges ranging from contempt of court to terrorism and inciting violence, and was sentenced to a three-year sentence on corruption charges in early August.

Police officers patrol a road leading to the District Jail, in Attock, Pakistan. PHOTO: AP

Later that month, an Islamabad High Court suspended that sentence in what amounted to a legal victory for Khan.

Still, he remained behind bars as another court – a special tribunal – ordered he be held over allegedly revealing official secrets in an incident late last year when Khan had waved a confidential diplomatic letter at a rally. Khan described the document as proof that he was threatened and that his ouster was a conspiracy by Washington, Sharif’s government and the Pakistani military. All three denied Khan’s claims.

The document, dubbed Cipher, has not been made public by either the government or Khan’s lawyers but was apparently diplomatic correspondence between the Pakistani ambassador to Washington and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad.

Khan’s lawyer Naeem Panjutha told reporters that a special court hearing the Cipher case has extended custody for the former premier until October 10.

The custody was initially to expire yesterday.

Khan, 70, is being held at the high-security Attock Prison in the eastern Punjab province.

He was supposed to be moved to Adiyala Prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, just outside of the capital of Islamabad, where better facilities are available.

Khan’s lawyers say he has refused the move for reasons that remain unknown.

Leader of Australia’s Victoria state resigns

PHOTO: ENVATO

SYDNEY (AFP) – The leader of the Australian state of Victoria resigned unexpectedly yesterday after nine years that included battling the COVID-19 pandemic, declaring, “It’s not an easy job.

“Thoughts of what life will be like after this job have started to creep in,” said Premier Dan Andrews, who led the state’s centre-left Labor party for 13 years.

“I have always known that the moment that happens, it is time to go and give this privilege, this amazing responsibility, to someone else,” he told a news conference.

“It is not an easy job being premier of our state – that is not a complaint, that is just fact.”

Andrews was at the helm during the COVID-19 pandemic years, overseeing a series of strict lockdowns in the state capital Melbourne.

The city’s five million residents spent over 260 days confined to their homes. Frustration over that and the state’s vaccine mandates led to violent protests in 2021.

Andrews’ popularity fell to a two-year low last month but he remained slightly ahead of the state’s conservative opposition Liberal Party leader John Pesutto, a survey by Resolve Political Monitor for The Age newspaper indicated.

The premier said his job required 100 per cent commitment “from you and your family”.

“That, of course, is time-limited and now is the time to step away.”

Asked about his legacy, Andrews told reporters, “It will be for others to judge my time in Parliament and my years of leadership.”

PHOTO: ENVATO

Indicted US senator dismisses calls to resign

Democratic Senator Robert Menendez. PHOTO: AP

NEW YORK (AFP) – A powerful United States (US) senator charged with bribery and extortion after gold bars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash were found at his home rejected calls on Monday for him to resign.

“I recognise that this will be the biggest fight yet,” Democratic Senator Robert Menendez told reporters at a press conference in his home state of New Jersey.

“I firmly believe that when all the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I still will be New Jersey’s senior senator,” Menendez said.

Menendez, 69, is accused of providing sensitive information to the Egyptian government in order to help an Egyptian-American businessman protect his monopoly.

He stepped down “temporarily” as head of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee after the charges were unsealed last Friday.

Menendez was defiant on Monday in his first public appearance since the indictment, insisting he had done nothing wrong and there had been a “rush to judgement”.

“The allegations levelled against me are just that – allegations,” he said.

Democratic Senator Robert Menendez. PHOTO: AP

“The court of public opinion is no substitute for our revered justice system.”

“Prosecutors get it wrong some time,” Menendez said.

“Sadly I know that,” he said in a reference to a 2015 corruption case against him which ended in a mistrial.

A number of fellow Democrats, including New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, have urged Menendez to step down.

Prosecutors said they found more than a half-million dollars in cash in Menendez’s New Jersey home and in his wife’s safe deposit box, allegedly received from three New Jersey businessmen seeking his help.

Gold bars worth around USD150,000 and a luxury Mercedes Benz convertible, gifted by one of the businessmen, were also found.

Menendez, his wife, Nadine, and the three businessmen face two counts of bribery and fraud. Menendez and his wife were also charged with extortion.

A senator since 2006 and before that a member of the House of Representatives for 14 years, Menendez has been a Democratic stalwart in Congress for three decades.

He is up for reelection to the Senate next year.

Democrats head into the 2024 elections with a narrow 51-49 majority in the Senate.

Six dead, 13 missing after Guatemalan river sweeps away homes

The Naranjo river flows through the Dios es fiel shanty town on the outskirts of Guatemala City. PHOTO: AP

GUATEMALA CITY (AFP) – Two children and four adults were found dead on Monday after a river swollen by heavy rains swept away shacks built on its banks in the Guatemalan capital, authorities said.

Thirteen people, including eight children, were still missing after the river tore through the Dios es Fiel informal settlement in the early morning hours, according to the Conred disaster relief agency. Hundreds of firemen, police, soldiers, and volunteers were taking part in the rescue efforts.

The Naranjo river washed away six homes, built mainly of zinc sheets, under a bridge in the centre of Guatemala City, Conred spokesman Rodolfo Garcia told reporters.

Hundreds of needy residents of the capital constructed their homes on the banks of the river despite a municipal prohibition due to it containing residential wastewater from the capital’s sewage system.

Water bearing stones, soil and human waste gushed through the settlement following heavy rains on Sunday, leaving mainly just debris in its wake, an AFP reporter observed.

The Naranjo river flows through the Dios es fiel shanty town on the outskirts of Guatemala City. PHOTO: AP

Resident Esau Gonzalez, a 42-year-old day worker, recalled how “the river… took homes, neighbours’ belongings. Neighbours disappeared”.

Gonzalez told AFP the community had nowhere else to go.

“Rent is very high. Salaries are not enough to pay rent with,” he said.

Tens of thousands of Guatemala’s 17.7 million inhabitants depend on precarious housing in often hazardous environments in a country with a 59-per-cent poverty rate.

The rainy season, which runs from May to November, has this year claimed 29 lives so far, affected some 2.1 million people of whom more than 10,000 lost their homes, and destroyed four roads and nine bridges.