Malaysia Morning News For August 2

Penang to seek RM10b from Putrajaya for transport blueprint
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state will send a “pleading” letter to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for RM10 billion to fund part of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
— Malay Mail

Malaysian court sides with forced labour victims over unpaid wages
An undocumented domestic worker has the right to pursue her claim for unpaid wages in Malaysia, a court has ruled, setting a legal precedent migrant rights groups said would help protect human trafficking survivors.
— Thomson Reuters Foundation

Indonesia forest fires spark haze warnings in Malaysia
The west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and western Sarawak have begun to experience haze due to forest fires in Indonesia, Malaysia’s Meteorological Department said on Thursday (Aug 1).
— Channel NewsAsia

No negative effects from building four LMSs in China: Defence Ministry
The government’s decision to build four littoral mission ships (LMS) of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) in China does not bring any negative effects in terms of technology and knowledge transfer as well as Malaysia’s dependence on China, the Defence Ministry said today.
— The Sun Daily

Penang east seafront transformation to start in six months
The proposed east seafront project stretching from the old Penang Yacht Club (PYC) up to Tanjung City Marina is set to kick off in six months.
— Malay Mail

Malaysia’s first hydrogen buses make debut on Kuching streets
Malaysia’s first hydrogen buses made their debut appearance on the city’s streets today but without passengers, as they are on a trial run until Aug 14.
— The Borneo Post

Penang’s RM10.3m godown project stalls due to land dispute
Two godowns on Victoria Street identified for a RM10.3 million restoration and upgrading project have been left uncompleted after the previous landowner took the state government to court.
— Malay Mail

M’sia committed to conducive environment for foreign capital, technology: Dr Mahathir
Malaysia is committed to providing a conducive environment to encourage the inflow of foreign capital and technology as it strives to remain as the preferred choice for foreign investors, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pix).
— The Sun Daily

Durian rush creates thorny environmental problems in Malaysia
Rising demand from China sparks interest in the stinky fruit and concerns that rapid expansion will put forests at risk.
— Aljazeera

Malaysia under fire over cuts to gay scenes in Elton John’s ‘Rocketman’
Malaysia has censored gay sex scenes in Rocketman, the movie musical based on the life of British singer Elton John, sparking condemnation from art critics today that the country was becoming a “nanny state”.
— Malay Mail

Govt optimistic over economic growth despite lower PPI
The government is optimistic over Malaysia’s economic growth despite the producer price index (PPI) shrinking by -1.8% year-on-year in June 2019.
— The Sun Daily

PM denies Guan Eng launched highway buyouts without Cabinet nod
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad refuted today a foreign news report claiming Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng initiated the proposed takeover of four highway concessions without informing the Cabinet.
— Malay Mail

Foreign chambers suggest Msia’s education system should focus on industrial side
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the international chambers of commerce he engaged in a session on workforce and talent today has suggested that Malaysia’s education system should also focus on industrial needs.
— The Sun Daily

Malaysia’s stingless bee industry faces major challenges
The stingless bee industry in Malaysia faces major challenges, especially in respect of the rearing of the queen, low honey production, quality inconsistency and high price.
— The Borneo Post

Penang exco says will blacklist developers demanding premium for price-controlled homes
Penang will ban developers who make buyers pay beyond fixed prices for low-cost, low-medium cost and affordable housing units, state exco Jagdeep Singh Deo warned today.
— Malay Mail

Easing visa entry to boost Visit Malaysia 2020
The Visa on Arrival (VoA) facility has been implemented at the Miri International Airport and Sungei Tujuh entry points, particularly for Chinese tourists and expatriates in Brunei coming into Malaysia, in a effort to increase the number of tourists for the Visit Malaysia Year 2020.
— The Borneo Post

Penang CM says RM10.3m contract for Victoria Street godown project nixed
The RM10.3 million contract to restore and upgrade two dilapidated godowns along Victoria Street here has been terminated as the state government lost the land in a court case, Chow Kon Yeow revealed today.
— Malay Mail

MACC urges state govts to implement asset declaration for lawmakers
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is calling upon all state governments to emulate the Federal Government’s move to have lawmakers declare their assets.
— The Star Online

Labour market reforms crucial to address job mismatches – Dr Mahathir
Labour market reforms are crucial to address job mismatches which contribute to graduate underemployment, unemployment and slow wage growth as well as over-dependence on foreign labour, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
— The Borneo Post

SRC trial: Ex-AmBank manager says Jho Low tried to poach her with offer of RM60,000 a month
A former AmBank relationship manager in charge of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal accounts revealed that Low Taek Jho had sought to recruit her for SRC International Sdn Bhd with jobs paying up to RM60,000 monthly in.
— Malay Mail

Cabinet hasn’t decided on takeover date of Gamuda highways, says Dr M
The Cabinet has not decided on the date for the takeover of Gamuda Bhd’s four urban highways, says the Prime Minister.
— The Star Online

Entrepreneurs urged to be halal-certified
Entrepreneurs in the country, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are urged to apply for halal certification that could help in their endeavour into global halal markets.
— The Sun Daily

Register with Socso or face RM1, 000 fine, self-employed drivers told
The Social Security Organisation (Socso) will be launching an operation in August to compel self-employed taxi, bus and e-hailing drivers to register under its Self-Employed Employment Injury Scheme (SEEIS).
— The Star Online

Witness: Jho Low moved SRC funds into Najib’s account to prevent overdrawing
Fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, moved funds from the bank account of SRC International Sdn Bhd into Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s account to prevent it from being overdrawn, the High Court heard.
— The Star Online

Purported Pakatan power struggle will damage Malaysia, PAS leader warns
PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man cautioned today that continued infighting within Pakatan Harapan (PH) and the perceived power struggle among its leaders will hurt the country’s progress.
— Malay Mail

Do Malaysian men know what sexual consent means? Survey finds 65pc don’t
The majority of men in this country appear to believe that a woman who flirts with them or invites them to her home has consented to having sex, unless she explicitly says “no”.
— Malay Mail

Unity between councillors and mayor needed to deliver quality services, says Chan
City councillors must be able to work closely with the mayor and the community to deliver quality services, said Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor Datuk James Chan.
— The Borneo Post

RM6.2 billion price tag for highway takeover not final, says deputy minister
Amiruddin Hamzah says the government will carry out due diligence to determine the final value.
— FMT News

Mahathir confirms highway acquisitions postponed (Updated)
The government has put on hold its plan to acquire four tolled highways in the Klang Valley as it needs to reconsider its capability to finance the takeover.
— The Sun Daily

After threatening bookstores, Jho Low targets 1MDB documentary distributors
Malaysia’s most wanted man Low Taek Jho is seeking to stop the public release of a documentary on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal called The Kleptocrats, according to US entertainment news report.
— Malay Mail

CM proposes new development agenda for MBKS, DBKU as housing trend changes
Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg believes that a new trend is emerging in the state capital where people live in the city during weekdays but head back to their villages for the weekends.
— The Borneo Post

Political literacy and maturity essential to qualify for position: Analyst
A political analyst has said that 18-year-olds are not matured enough to be MPs.”Allowing individuals so young to vote is commendable, but having someone who has just completed secondary school to contest in elections is laughable,” said Universiti Malaysia Sarawak senior lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Jeniri Amir..
— The Sun Daily

Shortcomings in efforts to fight climate change
Malaysia has taken some positive steps in its effort to combat climate change. Unfortunately, it still comes up short in select areas, according to a lawyer who focuses specifically on the energy sector.
— The Sun Daily

Putrajaya confirms letting Lynas explore rare-earths waste disposal in Malaysia
The Pakatan Harapan government has removed the requirement for Lynas Corp to repatriate its rare-earth processing waste as a precondition for its licence renewal, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad confirmed today.
— Malay Mail

UTM to improve safety, health standards at research centre
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) today gave the assurance that it will improve the safety and health standards at its Ibnu Sina Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research (ISI-SIR).
— The Sun Daily

RHB gets Bank Negara nod to start insurance unit sale talks with Tokio Marine
Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has given the green light to RHB Bank Bhd to begin negotiations with Tokio Marine Asia Pte Ltd for the proposed disposal of its stake in RHB Insurance.
— The Sun Daily

KLIA Aeropolis DFTZ to be completed by June next year
The KLIA Aeropolis Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ) development is expected to be completed by June 2020.Cainiao KLIA Aeropolis Sdn Bhd CEO Johnson Chen said the project, which is currently 50% completed, is expected to be operational by September 2020.
— The Sun Daily

RM19.6b investments in Selangor manufacturing
Selangor has chalked up investments worth RM19.656 billion for the manufacturing sector from April last year to March this year, the state legislative assembly was today.
— The Sun Daily

Lotte’s profit hit by lower selling prices
Lotte Chemical Titan Holding Bhd’s net profit for the second quarter ended June 30, 2019 fell 66.72% to RM104.85 million from RM315.03 million a year ago due to lower product selling prices, which led to a margin squeeze.
— The Sun Daily

Banks, financial stocks sell-off drags Bursa Malaysia lower
Weak global market sentiment weighed down by the bleak external developments pushed Bursa Malaysia to close lower for the third consecutive session today, with selling mostly in banking and financial stocks, dealers said.
— The Sun Daily

Workers still fearful to report misconduct of bosses
The awareness level on the Whistle Blower Protection Act 2010 is still not satisfactory as people in the workforce are still fearful to report misconduct of their bosses, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong.
— The Borneo Post

IGP says would meet Indira Gandhi but wants her to ease pressure for now
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador assured M. Indira Gandhi today that he is paying personal attention to the case of her abducted daughter but asked to be given time and space to act.
— Malay Mail

Asian factories are stuck in the doldrums as trade war hits hard
Purchasing manager indexes for Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan remain below 50, signalling deeper contractions in factory output.
— FMT News

Opposition coalition chief claims Dr M invited lawmakers for meeting, PKR men also present
Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg revealed today that the meeting between Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Opposition lawmakers was at the prime minister’s invitation.
— Malay Mail

S’wak CM says GPS MPs met Dr M, doesn’t know what transpired
Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has downplayed the meeting between Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and a group of Opposition politicians, including those from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
— The Star Online

Drug traffickers move operations to dark web to evade law enforcers
Drug dealing has moved from jungle hideouts to the bowels of cyberspace.In this regard, the drug trade has expanded in the country in the past year, according to Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador.
— The Sun Daily

Gender sensitisation lessons a must, DPM says after PKR senator moots anti-seduction law
Senator Mohd Imran Abd Hamid’s proposal for an anti-seduction law to “protect” men from committing sexual crimes against women proves the need for gender sensitisation through education.
— Malay Mail

Mahathir explains when he will step down as PM
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today he will step down when he finds that the situation in the country has been put on an even keel and can carry on from there.
— The Borneo Post

CEO pleads guilty in negligent death of contractor, pays RM35k fine
The chief executive officer of Lysaght Galvanized Steel Bhd, Chua Tia Bon, 69, pleaded guilty on behalf of his company in a Sessions Court here to negligently causing the death of a contractor in April this year.
— The Star Online

PKR senator retracts suggestion of law protecting men from being seduced by women
PKR senator Mohd Imran Abd Hamid has apologised and retracted his proposal of a law to protect men from being seduced by women into committing sexual crimes.In a statement today, Imran said that his proposal meant well.
— The Sun Daily

PM: Yes, a group of Opposition politicians came to see me
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has confirmed that a group of Opposition politicians met with him two days ago to pledge their support for him to complete the full term as premier.
— The Star Online

PKR rejects senator’s proposal on sexual harassment law to protect men
PKR has rejected a proposal for the formulation of sexual harassment law to protect men from being seduced into committing crimes such as rape.
— The Borneo Post

Repeating promise to Anwar, Dr M says will go once Malaysia is on firmer ground
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad reiterated today that he will keep his promise to step aside for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim despite calls for him to serve out his full term.
— Malay Mail

Dr Jamilah: S’wak to go along with smoking ban educational enforcement extension til year end
The educational enforcement of the smoking ban at eateries and restaurant will continue until the end of the year, said State Health Director Dr Jamilah Hashim.
— The Borneo Post

Labour reforms worthless if workers not passionate, says PM
Malaysians must have fervour for their work or the government’s efforts to improve labour conditions will be for naught, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.
— Malay Mail

Local government ours to run: CM
The local government is directly under the purview of the state government, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg clarified.
— New Sarawak Tribune

Health Ministry plans to have Nuclear Medicine Dept at Sg Petani Cancer Specialist Centre
The Ministry of Health (MOH) plans to establish a Nuclear Medicine Department at the Sungai Petani Cancer Specialist Centre in Kedah, in order to provide better services and treatments for patients in the northern region.
— Malay Mail

Water supply in JB fully restored
Maintenance work at the Sungai Johor Water Treatment Plant, which began yesterday and lasted for 23 hours, is now complete, with clean water supply to about 170,000 users in some parts of the city, fully restored.
— The Sun Daily

S&P affirms TNB’s BBB+ rating
S&P Global Ratings affirmed its ‘BBB+’ rating on Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) following the latter’s proposed reorganisation, which will result in two new wholly owned subsidiaries for its retail and generation business except for its transmission and distribution assets.
— The Sun Daily

Advancecon awarded RM84m earthworks job
Advancecon Holdings Bhd has secured a 34-month contract valued at RM83.8 million to carry out earthworks and civil engineering works for Setia Alamsari (South) in Bangi, Selangor, via its subsidiary, Advancecon Infra Sdn Bhd.
— The Sun Daily

Press Metal secures more power for expansion
Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd, the largest aluminium producer in Southeast Asia has entered into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Syarikat SESCO Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sarawak Energy Bhd, to secure more power for capacity expansion in Sarawak.
— The Sun Daily

FGV to remain as major shareholder of MSM
FGV Holdings Bhd will maintain its status as the major shareholder of sugar company MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd even if it were to enter into strategic collaborations that involve share disposal.
— The Sun Daily

Fort Cornwallis seafront to become commercial, cultural district
The plan includes expanding the cruise terminal, converting six old godowns to cultural and commercial use and reviving a marina that has not been in use since 2011.
— FMT News

CM confirmed GPS leaders met Dr Mahathir on Tuesday
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg confirmed today that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders had met with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday.
— The Borneo Post

Saham RHB Bank menokok susulan cadangan jual kepentingan dalam RHB Insurance
Saham RHB Bank meningkat 8 sen kepada RM5.58 dengan 2.27 juta saham bertukar tangan pada 11 pagi.
— FMT News

Tashin debuts on ACE Market
Tashin Holdings Bhd, which debuted on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd this morning, slid 13% to 50.5 sen at mid-day from its offer price of 58 sen. At 12.22pm, 44.76 million shares were traded.
— The Sun Daily

Malaysian students win top award in South Korea
Three Malaysian students from Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Integrasi Tun Abdul Razak, Pekan, Pahang, won the top award for the best team at the 14th International Standards Olympiad competition held in Anseong, South Korea.
— The Sun Daily

Ex-Lazada CMO’s neobanking platform for SMEs, Aspire, raises US$32.5M to grow in Southeast Asia
Aspire provides SMEs with a 60-day, interest free credit line of up to S$100,000 to solve their working capital needs Singapore-headquartered Aspire, a neobank for small and medium businesses (SMEs) in Southeast Asia, announced today it has secured US$32.5 million in Series A round of financing.
— e27

AMMB shareholders set to enjoy higher dividend for FY20
Shareholders of AMMB Holdings Bhd are set to receive a higher dividend this financial year ending March 31, 2020 (FY20), based on the group’s guidance of a dividend payout ratio of 40-45% of its profit.
— The Sun Daily

Feature photo Polis Diraja Malaysia

This week’s Malaysia morning news feature photo focus on World Day against Trafficking in Persons, July 30.

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).

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