Malaysia Morning News For February 12

Malaysian manufacturing sales value up 7.7pc in 2018
The sales value of the manufacturing sector increased 7.7 per cent to RM824.8 billion in 2018, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said today.
— Malay Mail

Malaysia’s IPI up 3.4% in December 2018
Malaysia’s industrial production index (IPI) expanded 3.4% year-on-year in December 2018 driven by the increase in all indices, including manufacturing (4.4%), electricity (2.7%), as well as mining (1%).
— The Sun Daily

Guan Eng: Taxpayers with no foreign bank accounts need not fret
Taxpayers who do not have foreign bank accounts need not worry if they receive a letter or e-mail from the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) under the Special Voluntary Disclosure Programme (PKPS).
— The Star Online

Unemployment rate remained at 3.3% in December 2018
The unemployment rate in December 2018 remained at 3.3% since September 2018, according to Statistics Department.
— The Sun Daily

Malaysian Studies needs a revamp
I don’t know much about the Malaysian Studies subject. But judging by those who have taken it, my conclusion is that it has no value for nation-building.
— FMT

Malaysia sweetener before polls
Malaysia has agreed to import 44,000 tonnes of sugar from India within weeks of New Delhi cutting the import duty on crude and refined palm oil from the Southeast Asian nation.
— Telegraph India

Malaysia Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s credentials as an accountant questioned
Malaysian Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s qualification in accounting is the latest to come under scrutiny following a series of alleged false education credentials involving Pakatan Harapan leaders.
— The Straits Times

Malaysia among top nations Chinese visited during Lunar new year holidays
People in China made 415 million domestic trips during the Lunar New Year holiday, an increase of 7.6 percent from the same period last year, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday as the week-long break drew to a close.
— The Star Online

Malaysia’s Najib in last-ditch bid to delay trial
Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak was making a last-ditch bid Monday to delay the start of his trial over the 1MDB scandal, which contributed to his government’s shock election defeat.
— Inquirer.net

Sarawak CM confirms state officials quizzed over corruption probes
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg confirmed today that a number of corporate figures, politicians and senior state civil servants have recently been called in for questioning by the state Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
— Malay Mail

Malaysia’s Jan palm oil stocks ease from highest on record
Malaysia’s palm oil inventories in January eased back from a near two-decade high at end-December as demand increased amid falling production,
official data showed on Monday, although the stocks still hovered just above 3 million tonnes.
— Reuters

AirAsia upgrades reservation systems
AirAsia’s online reservation services will be unavailable at certain times over the weekend as the airline will be upgrading its system.
— The Star Online

After Umno’s exit, Utusan shares spike 126%
Shares in Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd rose sharply in today’s trade, surging from 11 to 26 sen, or 126%, with 928,000 shares traded as at noon today.
— FMT

Why Does Najib Continue To Evade The ‘Opportunity To Prove His Innocence’?
Despite overwhelming global evidence, Najib Razak and his circle of appointees have persisted in amazing everyone with their adamant protests of innocence over 1MDB.
— Sarawak Report

RM138.6m in foreign funds flow into equity mart
Foreign investors were net buyers in the Malaysian equity market, pumping in RM138.6 million between Monday and Thursday, compared with RM146.8 million recorded during the previous week.
— Daily Express

Kelington bags RM93m job in Singapore
Kelington Group Bhd’s wholly-owned subsidiary Kelington Engineering (S) Pte Ltd (KE Singapore) has received a S$31 million (RM93 million) contract to provide turnkey construction and engineering services in Singapore for one of the world’s largest gas companies.
— The Sun Daily

FBM KLCI to retest 1,700-point level
Trading on Bursa Malaysia is expected to be reinvigorated this week with the market moving in a tight range as most investors flock back from the Chinese New Year celebration, analysts said.
— Daily Express

Fire breaks out at ATA IMS’s factory
ATA IMS Bhd, formerly Denko Industrial Corp Bhd, said a fire had occurred at one of the group’s rented factories in Taman Gembira, Tampoi, Johor Baru, last Friday.
— The Sun Daily

F&B outlets get bigger bite in shopping malls
Shopping malls are now allocating a higher percentage of their tenant mix (more space) to food & beverage (F&B) retailers, partly because competition from online platforms has impacted other types of retailers such as fashion, according to a market research and consulting firm.
— The Sun Daily

SAP Malaysia continues to prioritise customer experience
Customer experience (CX) continue to be a key priority for SAP Malaysia Sdn Bhd with its managing director Duncan Williamson describing that CX extends far beyond the initial sale process.
— New Straits Times

Hock Seng Lee secures RM54.3m contract for Balingian power plant
Hock Seng Lee has won an open tender for a contract with Sarawak Energy Bhd for the Balingian coal-fired power plant project in Mukah, Sarawak, worth RM54.3mil.
— The Star Online

TPG raises US$4.6b for Asian PE fund, exceeds target
Global alternative asset firm TPG’s latest Asian focused private equity fund, TPG Capital Asia VII raised over US$4.6bil (RM18.73bil) in commitments, exceeding its target.
— The Star Online

Uptick in Malaysia’s banking sector scorecard for 2018
Malaysia’s banking sector ended 2018 with a slight uptick in its figures, recording 5.6 per cent year on year (y-o-y) growth while expanding by 0.6 per cent month on month (m-o-m).
— The Borneo Post

Special festive promotions offered for Rivervale Condominium project
CMS Property Development is ushering in the Year of the Earth Pig this Chinese New Year with special promotions for customers of its high-rise residential project, Rivervale Condominium.
— The Borneo Post

Malaysia’s role in Thailand’s deadlock with Muslim separatists
Peace talks to end a 15-year war in Thailand’s southernmost provinces between Muslim guerilla fighters and the army hit a snag last weekend, when Bangkok’s new peace negotiator did not turn up for a scheduled meeting.
— Asia One

How did Malaysia get on this downward path?
It may be useful for us to be reminded of how we spiralled downwards from being an Asian tiger to become a nation on the verge of economic disaster, one beset by racial and religious tension. How did it all go wrong?
— Malaysiakini

Grab Malaysia to deploy facial recognition to enhance driver and passenger safety
Among a list of suggestions GRAB Malaysia is expected to submit to the country’s Ministry of Transport is a recommendation to use advanced facial recognition technology to enhance safety features for drivers and passengers, the Malaysian Reserve reports.
— Biometricupdate

Is resume fraud on the rise in Malaysia?
A CELEBRITY allegedly masqueraded as a doctoral graduate. A member of the administration allegedly obtained bogus educational qualifications from a degree mill. These are some examples of eminent members of society who allegedly falsified their academic background.
— The Star Online

GEN Malaysia theme park area open during CNY: Maybank
The grounds of Genting Malaysia Bhd’s yet-to-launch outdoor theme park at its Genting Highlands casino resort, have been accessible to the public during Chinese New Year (CNY). That is according to a memo from Maybank IB Research, part of Maybank Investment Bank Bhd.
— GGR asia

Feature photo World Bank Photo Collection

This week’s Malaysia morning news feature photo acknowledges International Day of Women and Girls in Science, February 11.

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.