Malaysia Morning News For September 24

Shipping firms urged to work around trade tariffs, restrictions
Container shipping firms along with other players in the cabotage industry have been urged to persevere and find ways to work around trade tariffs, import restrictions and trade embargoes to sustain their business in an industry that is already in distress having to contend with numerous pre-existing challenges.
— The Borneo Post

ECRL contractor seeking investment opportunities in Malaysia
China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) is transforming from an engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) contractor to an investor, developer and operation service provider, says its vice-president Sun Ziyu.
— FMT

Kidnappers expected to strike again in Sabah as militants seek funds for terror activities
A sense of unease has overcome parts of the east Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo island after a kidnapping incident off the waters of the coastal town of Semporna last week (Sep 11).
— Channel NewsAsia

Could Malaysia’s Political Feuds Let the 1MDB Scandal’s Architect Through the Cracks?
From gifting Basquiat paintings to Leonardo di Caprio to pouring millions of dollars in champagne over himself and Paris Hilton, allegations of outrageous exploits and profligate spending surrounding fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low are being read about across the globe—but not in the UK.
— Modern Diplomacy

Malaysia remains a key market of Scania in Southeast Asia
Asia has been identified as the third hub of Scania after Europe and South America, with Malaysia remaining an important market for the company in the region.
— New Straits Times

Jho Low Has Offered A Deal To The DOJ – EXCLUSIVE
Sarawak Report has learnt that Jho Low’s new legal team, headed by the well-connected former federal prosecutor and New Jersey governor Chris Christie, has already obtained a high-level meeting with officials of the DOJ and that at that meeting they offered to come to a settlement on behalf of the fugitive Malaysian advisor to 1MDB.
— Sarawak Report

Now, NZ, Australia dumping plastic waste in Malaysia, says report
Malaysia has become a dumping ground for New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom to dispose of plastic waste, according to Radio New Zealand (RNZ).
— FMT

Emerging market equities look constructive, economists say
Emerging market equities look very constructive with a sense of optimism in the markets amid positive economic indicators beaming from the advanced countries, says Bank Islam chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid.
— The Borneo Post

Ciggie prices likely to increase again
Cigarette prices may increase again even though tobacco companies are engaged in a price war by ignoring a Sales and Services Tax (SST) requirement.
— New Straits Times

Malaysia religious school teacher charged with sodomising 9 students: Report
The principal of a religious school in Kepong, a town in northern Kuala Lumpur, has been charged with sodomising nine students from the school.
— Channel NewsAsia

Sand from Malaysia arrives at port
The first consignment of natural river sand imported from Malaysia by the State government arrived at the Kamarajar Port in Chennai early on Sunday. M.V. Aurelia, the vessel that transported the 56,750-metric tonne consignment imported by the Public Works Department (PWD), has been berthed at the Chettinad International Bulk Terminal at the port.
— The Hindu

Sharing economy: What Malaysia needs to do?
WHEN the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) Malaysia released the first edition of Timbro Index of Sharing Economy last month, Malaysia’s ranking at 69 out of 213 countries surveyed caught many of us by surprise.
— The Star Online

Malaysian NGO calls for mandatory jail sentence as alcohol poisoning deaths hit 36
The Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) has called on the government to introduce a mandatory jail sentence for those who sell smuggled or adulterated alcohol, as the death toll from an alcohol poisoning case rose to 36.
— Channel NewsAsia

Mahathir: Malaysia cannot accept same-sex marriage
Malaysia cannot accept same-sex marriage or lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday, in comments that come amid growing instances of persecution of the LGBT community in the Muslim-majority country.
— The Straits Times

96% drop in Malaysia’s consolidated account – Where has all the money gone?
Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak should explain why the consolidated revenue account had dropped by 96% or RM11.41bil between Dec 31, 2017 and April 30, 2018, says Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.
— The Star Online

MIFF 2019 Presents “Muar: Furniture City of Malaysia” to the World
Muar, recently declared the “Furniture City of Malaysia” by the government, will take centre stage at Southeast Asia’s largest industry show next year when the annual Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) opens its doors again from March 8-11, 2019.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

Malaysia to end body searches at Kuala Lumpur airport next year
Malaysia will end body searches of flight passengers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) next year, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said on Friday (Sep 21).
— Channel NewsAsia

HSL Tower to be the first GBI-certified private office in Sarawak
The Hock Seng Lee Bhd (HSL) new headquarters located along the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway will be the first private office with Green Building Index certification in Sarawak.
— New Straits Times

SWIFT teams up with banks to bring cross-border payments service to Malaysia
SWIFT has announced that it will work with five Malaysian banks to bring its global payments innovation (gpi) initiative to Malaysia in coming months.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

CIMB in Top 100 of Thomson Reuters’ Global Diversity & Inclusion Index
CIMB Group Holdings Bhd has been ranked top 100 most diverse and inclusive organizations globally by Thomson Reuters’ Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Index 2018, which measures more than 7,000 companies globally on their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy.
— The Sun Daily

Commentary: The bittersweet return of Anwar Ibrahim to Malaysian politics
Prime Minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim might win the by-election for the Port Dickson seat come Oct 13, but he will have to contest with bigger issues, says one observer.
— Channel NewsAsia

Life goes on: Malaysian towns along HSR line remain upbeat despite missed opportunities (VIDEO)
Days after Malaysia’s historic May 9 general election, Yong Fun Juan and his staff were caught in a bind when Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad first announced that Putrajaya will scrap the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-speed Rail (HSR) project.
— Malay Mail

Look East or look within
Not many people were surprised when Dr Mahathir Mohamad revived his Look East policy. He has always admired the Japanese work ethic as well as the way they were able to rebuild their nation after the devastation of World War II. Of course, Japan’s accomplishments have been phenomenal and there’s much we can learn from them.
— FMT

MNRB gets six-month extension to repay RM320m credit line
MNRB Holdings Bhd, which recently raised RM400 million through a rights issue, has secured a six-month extension to repay a RM320 million revolving credit facility to AmBank (M) Bhd.
— The Sun Daily

Malaysia’s 2018 total trade to beat last year’s stellar performance – MITI
The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) is confident that Malaysia’s total trade this year will surpass last year’s stellar performance of RM1.77 trillion, said its Secretary-General, Datuk Isham Ishak.
— New Straits Times

Equal gender representation in government? Not in our lifetime!
Malaysia’s political reality means it could take a long time – 145 years according to an independent researcher – before gender parity is realised in the Dewan Rakyat.
— FMT

HSL Tower at La Promenade gets green building certification
Hock Seng Lee Berhad (HSL) is proud to announce that its new headquarters along the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway is Green Building Index (GBI) certified.
— The Borneo Post

MOE: Malaysia, Singapore to support mutual collaboration
The Ministries of Education (MOE) of Malaysia and Singapore will remain their efforts to support their bilateral co-operation for the advantages that the two countries may collect especially in the education field.
— MENAFN

Feature photo Teck Wan Kho

This week’s Malaysia morning news feature photo acknowledges World Rabies Day, September 28.

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Malaysia morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Malaysia news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.