Malaysia Morning News For December 23, 2019

Malaysia FM: China’s ‘nine-dash line’ claim ‘ridiculous’
Foreign Minister Saifuddin says Malaysia’s decision to take South China Sea claim to UN is its ‘sovereign right’.
— Aljazeera

100 pct water supply by 2025
Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) and Ministry of Utilities are committed to distributing water to remote areas which have not received clean and safe water through the Sarawak Alternative Water Supply (Sawas) project.
— New Sarawak Tribune

Govt mulls Cuepacs’ minimum pay proposal of RM1,800, says deputy minister
The government will consider the proposal of the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services Malaysia (Cuepacs) which sought to fix the minimum salary of civil servants at RM1,800 a month.
— Malay Mail

Wolbachia delivers a toxin-free death blow to rocketing dengue rates (video)
As the number of confirmed deaths from dengue in the Philippines this year broke through the 1,500 barrier last month, scientists and health officials meeting in Maryland, USA, were being shown compelling evidence that the days of the debilitating disease are numbered.
— AEC News Today

Malaysian diplomat summoned by India over Dr M’s remarks on citizenship law
India has reportedly summoned the Malaysian chargé d’affaires to protest against Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s recent remarks about its newly-passed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
— Malay Mail

Malaysia’s batik industry set for a renaissance
The batik-making industry in Malaysia is set for a revival through a project to boost its appeal, especially on the international front.
— New Straits Times

Air Selangor installs more public water taps in affected areas
Areas affected by water cuts owing to the suspension of operations at the Sungai Semenyih and Bukit Tampoi water treatment plants will see an additional six public water taps being installed from tonight until early tomorrow morning.
— Malay Mail

Mawan: SSC members should organise activities aligned to state govt programmes
The Sarawak Scout Council (SSC) president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom wants SCC members to organise activities aligned with the state government programmes.
— The Borneo Post

Food imports, exchange rate and cost of living, Catch 22 situation
Transforming Malaysia into a net food exporter may still not wean the country off the need for imports.
— The Borneo Post

Muslim nations consider gold, barter trade to beat sanctions
Iran, Malaysia, Turkey and Qatar are considering trading among themselves in gold and through a barter system as a hedge against any future economic sanctions on them, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Saturday.
— CNA

Mayor: MBKS won’t adhere to Putrajaya’s directive on assessment rate review
Kuching South City Council (MBKS) will not adhere to the federal Ministry of Housing and Local Government’s latest directive on assessment rate review, said its mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng.
— The Borneo Post

Empowering women via high-impact entrepreneur programme
Thanks to its successful track record in empowering women, non-governmental organisations, Women of Will (WoW) has embarked on an Entrepreneur Development Programme aimed at uplifting the socio-economic mobility of women in the B40 group via diverse business activities.
— The Sun Daily

Food imports, exchange rate and cost of living: A catch-22 situation
Transforming Malaysia into a net food exporter may still not wean the country off the need for imports. Neither will it completely help the country in addressing the cost of living issue.
— The Sun Daily

Authorities need to work together to combat drugs, says expert
Nineteen drug-processing laboratories were demolished from January to November this year.During the period, the total value of the various types of drugs seized from operations by the authorities was estimated at RM272.9 million.
— The Sun Daily

Perak allocates RM10m to non-Muslim places of worship
The Perak government has allocated RM10 million to renovating, maintaining and building new non-Muslim places of worship in Perak.
— Malay Mail

The 2020 Asean Para Games postponement was unfair: Chef de Mission
Malaysia will challenge the decision to postpone the Asean Para Games (APG) 2020 taking into account the losses to be borne and the negative impact on the country’s athletes performance.
— The Sun Daily

LKIM chief: Export restrictions on popular fish during festive season next year
The Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) will impose export restrictions on popular fish species from January 1 to February 28 next year.
— Malay Mail

Probing war crimes in Palestine long overdue: Dr Mahathir
Any move to investigate alleged war crimes in the Palestinian territories is long overdue, according to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
— The Sun Daily

Wee slams Johor’s decision to raise allowance of local councillors
The Johor government’s decision to increase the allowance of local councillors beginning in January has been criticised by Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
— The Star Online

PAS leader claims possible repeat of Seafield temple riots unless Chinese Organisation Congress stopped
A leader from Islamist party PAS has urged the police to step in and stop the Chinese Organisation Congress from going ahead to avoid a repeat of the 2017 riots at the Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu temple in Subang Jaya.
— Malay Mail

Number of flood victims in Kelantan, Johor fell, more evacuated in Sabah
The flood situation which hit Kelantan and Johor in the past few weeks is improving with the number of victims falling while in Sabah the number of evacuees rose as at 8am compared to yesterday.
— The Sun Daily

Return of polio: Parents must vaccinate children
Groups who reject vaccine especially parents who refuse to allow their children to be vaccinated should realise their mistake with the return of polio recently as the disease is preventable by vaccination.
— The Sun Daily

Illegal waste disposal causes Sungai Semenyih LRA to cease work: IWK
The closure of the Sungai Semenyih Water Treatment Plant (LRA) today was not due to sewage treatment operations conducted at Indah Water Consortium Sdn Bhd (IWK), but due to illegal waste disposal near the plant.
— The Sun Daily

Jan 8 approval for acquisition of Highland Towers site
Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin says the Selangor MB will raise the matter at a meeting with the Selangor Economic Action Council.
— FMT News

PH government listens to feedback, says Chong
The Pakatan Harapan-led federal government welcomes all criticisms on projects undertaken by contractors appointed by Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) of the Prime Minister’s Department, says Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen.
— The Borneo Post

Human resources ministry ready to help MTUC
The Ministry of Human Resources is ready to help and cooperate with the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) to resolve their issues with the Home Ministry and the Registrar of Societies (RoS).
— The Sun Daily

Two Malaysian men arrested for bringing in kratom to Singapore
Two Malaysian men were arrested for bringing in four bottles of brown liquid, believed to be Kratom on Dec 10 at Jurong Port, according to Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
— The Sun Daily

Sungai Tenggang Kuching-Sri Aman stretch now passable
The Sungai Tenggang Kuching-Sri Aman stretch of the Pan Borneo Highway project that was flooded is now passable.
— The Borneo Post

Fadillah welcomes green light given by PH govt to upgrade Lawas Hospital
The green light given by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to upgrade Lawas Hospital has been welcomed by Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) parliamentary chief whip Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
— The Borneo Post

Perak allocates RM10m for non-muslim places of worship
The Perak government has allocated RM10 million for renovating, maintaining and building new non-Muslim places of worship in Perak.
— The Sun Daily

Air Selangor: Sungai Semenyih plant to remain on shutdown until odour pollution clears, cause identified
The Sungai Semenyih Water Treatment Plant is to remain non-operational until further notice as restoration work is still ongoing following an odour pollution incident at Sungai Semenyih on Friday.
— Malay Mail

Puspanita Sabah plans international events
Puspanita Sabah should continue to be a respected association with capable and outstanding women in the civil service in Sabah.
— The Borneo Post

Petronas brings Christmas cheer to 350 families
Yayasan Petronas, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the national oil and gas company, has reached out to 350 families in Keningau, Kiulu and Labuan, spreading festive joy under its Sentuhan Kasih Hari Natal programme in conjunction with Christmas.
— The Borneo Post

As political parties lower their membership age to lure youths, are Malaysians biting?
Ahmad Iszuddin Ahmad Izham is 13 and hopes to one day become prime minister. Some may laugh off his aspiration as youthful idealism.
— Malay Mail

Firm welcomes public feedback on LBU project
Pan Borneo Highway construction company Naim Gamuda (Naga) JV Sdn Bhd welcomes public feedback on the Lebuhraya Borneo Utara (LBU) project.
— New Sarawak Tribune

Early Christmas cheer for NGOs and the needy
A touch of December rain failed to dampen the festive cheer at the Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF) Christmas Open House 2019 at the Old Court House yesterday.
— New Sarawak Tribune

Water cut may disrupt celebration
For mother-of-two Wendy Chan (pic), she is keeping her fingers crossed that the water cut due to odour pollution in Sungai Semenyih would not dampen the Winter Solstice Festival (Dong Zhi) celebration.
— The Star Online

Dr M again suggests using gold dinar
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mooted revisiting the idea of using the gold dinar and barter trade among Muslim countries.
— The Star Online

Sultan Nazrin: Islamic nations must help Muslim refugees
Muslim countries must lead the way in lending assistance to Muslim refugees, says the Sultan of Perak.
— The Star Online

Opposition trying to exploit the Sabah Temporary Pass issue, says state minister
The opposition in Sabah is protesting the implementation of the Sabah Temporary Pass (PSS) just to make political gains out of the issue, said state Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Peter Anthony.
— Malay Mail

Dr M lauds hard work put in by KL Summit staffers
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad tonight thanked all the staffers of the Kuala Lumpur Summit 2019 for making it a huge success.
— Malay Mail

Landslide causes Matang Wildlife Centre road access to be cut-off
A landslide that happened earlier today has caused the Matang Wildlife Centre road access to be cut off from both directions.
— The Borneo Post

Feature photo Eirien

This week’s Malaysia morning news feature photo focuses on Christmas Day, December 25.

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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