Malaysia Morning News For September 28

Najib to face several more charges relating to 1MDB: Malaysian police
Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak will face several more charges related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case, said Deputy Inspector-General of Police Noor Rashid Ibrahim on Thursday (Sep 27).
— Channel NewsAsia

NUS, Mahidol casualties of rising China & Malaysia: 2019 World University Rankings
The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings are out for another year and while there’s some minor shuffling in the top 10, lower down the list where most Asean universities sit there’s some considerable disruption taking place.
— AEC News Today

Malaysia must promote new investment areas, says Jomo
Economist KS Jomo has advised authorities to take proactive measures to promote new areas of investment and production amid the escalating global trade conflict instead of simply signing trade agreements which do not benefit the country.
— FMT

Mahathir predicts Umno is going to collapse
Malaysian Prime Minisrer Mahathir Mohamad has predicted the collapse of Umno which is the backbone of the Barisan Nasional coalition that had ruled the country for almost six decades before being toppled in the May elections, the New Straits Times Malaysia Online reported.
— Thai PBS

Malaysia’s Axiata in talks for more tower acquisitions over next 12 months
Malaysian telecoms firm Axiata Group Bhd’s (AXIA.KL) tower unit is working on acquisition deals that it aims to complete in the next 12 months to boost its infrastructure portfolio, the company’s chief executive officer said.
— Reuters

Malaysia eyes possibility of legalizing medical marijuana – but doubt abounds
Malaysia has opened the door to the possibility that it could one day legalize medical cannabis, but industry sources warn against expecting any immediate legislative breakthrough in the staunchly conservative country.
— Mjbizdaily

Malaysia imposes tighter restrictions on scrap plastic imports
Over the summer, Malaysia revoked import licenses for 114 plastic scrap processors and implemented new regulations for obtaining a license. Leaders had indicated the measure was temporary — expiring in October — and that permanent measures likely would follow.
— Waste Dive

CIMB to better serve China’s US$1 trillion halal mart
CIMB Group Holding Bhd (CIMB) is optimistic that its CIMB ASEAN-China Halal Corridor initiative would be able to capture five to 10 per cent of China’s US$2 trillion halal market by 2021.
— New Straits Times

Malaysia’s civil servants have high debt levels: Report
Malaysian civil servants spend more than half of their monthly salaries repaying debts, leaving them with a limited financial buffer to weather shocks, according to a study by the country’s central bank.
— The Straits Times

Malaysia making ‘private efforts’ to bring back Jho Low: PM Mahathir
Malaysia is resorting to “private efforts” to bring back fugitive businessmen Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, from China, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Wednesday (Sep 26).
— Channel NewsAsia

Maybank IB issues 15 new O&G-focused call warrants
Maybank Investment Bank Bhd (Maybank IB) is issuing 15 new European style cash-settled call warrants (CW) over ordinary shares of 15 Bursa Malaysia listed companies, with an issue size of 100 million each.
— New Straits Times

Singapore, Malaysia agencies talk environment and waste at annual meeting
Singapore and Malaysia’s government agencies engaged in discussions over emissions, water quality in the Johor Strait, emergency responses for chemical spills and environmental training programmes on Thursday (Sept 27), led by ministers from the two neighbouring countries.
— The Straits Times

Malaysian shuttlers again on collision course with China
Call it fate or luck of the draw, Malaysia are once again slated to meet top seeds China in the quarter-finals of the World Junior Championship badminton mixed team event in Markham, Canada, on Nov 5-10.
— New Straits Times

Sentiment on local property sector hits record high in H1
Malaysians expressed a record high of 42% satisfaction rating for the local property sector in the first half (H1) of 2018 post 14th general election, according to PropertyGuru consumer sentiment survey.
— The Sun Daily

Malaysia’s 93-year-old prime minister tells the simple secret to his long life
The world’s oldest leader, Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad, discussed his efforts to haul his country out of his predecessor’s crippling corruption scandal at a UN side event yesterday.
— Quartz

PNB launches two new products under ASNB
Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) has launched two new funds under Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd that would be available for all type of investors.
— The Star Online

PropertyGuru: Malaysians stay positive on real estate sector post GE14
It appears that even after four and a half months, the spirit of Malaysia Baru continues to resonate among Malaysians, as reflected in the continuing uptick of positive sentiment for the local property sector.
— The Borneo Post

Maybank, CIMB, RHB host investors’ conference
Malaysia’s leading banks Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank), CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (CIMB) and RHB Banking Group (RHB) will jointly host an investors’ conference with the theme Malaysia: A New Dawn.
— New Straits Times

Malaysia to cane woman over prostitution
A religious court in a Malaysian state ruled by an Islamist party has ordered the jailing and caning of a woman who pleaded guilty to offering sexual services.
— News Hub

German Auto ZF opens second plant in Malaysia
ZF, a global leader in driveline and chassis technology, today opened their second plant in the country here as part of their expansion plans to meet the growing demands of the local and regional luxury automotive market.
— New Straits Times

Dumping, transshipment concerns in Malaysia arise from trade war, says MITI
Malaysian industries could be impacted by dumping and transshipment issues as a result of the US-China trade war, according to the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI).
— The Edges Markets

Celcom Axiata first to launch global leading digital B2B matchmaking platform in Asia
Celcom Axiata Bhd (Celcom Axiata) becomes the first operator in Asia to offer Koble, a leading global digital business-to-business matchmaking platform, to enterprise customers.
— The Borneo Post

Malaysia Smelting Corp and parent Straits Trading to redevelop own land in Penang
Singapore-listed Straits Trading Company Ltd and its unit MSC Properties Sdn Bhd are looking to develop their land in Butterworth, Penang.
— New Straits Times

Malaysia pledges to bring down TB treatment costs in bid to end epidemic by 2035
Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (pic) has pledged to bring down the cost of testing for and treating tuberculosis as part of Malaysia’s commitment to end the TB epidemic by the year 2035.
— The Star Online

The Dark Side of Malaysia’s Democratic Fairy Tale
Like Cinderella, the Malaysian opposition has seemingly transformed itself overnight from a downtrodden victim into the belle of the ball.
— American Interest

Misif: Steel demand to slow down this year
The Malaysian Iron & Steel Industry Federation (Misif) is seeing a slowdown in steel demand this year due to the review of infrastructure projects by the government, said Misif president Datuk Lim Hong Thye.
— The Sun Daily

MH370 news mapped: Is missing Malaysia flight MH370 at the bottom of the Indian ocean?
THE MYSTERY of MH370’s whereabouts continues to plague both officials and family members of those missing. But a new documentary claims to have discovered where the doomed plane landed.
— Express.co.uk

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.