Malaysia Morning News For February 12, 2020

MACC to get more information on AirAsia-Airbus scandal
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has requested for documents from United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to further examine facts before questioning AirAsia Group over its receipt of “alleged payments” from European aircraft maker Airbus.
— The Sun Daily

Malaysia domestic trade ministry conducting inspections to ensure no panic buying of essentials by Singaporeans in Johor
The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has been conducting surveillance in Johor since Saturday (Feb 8) to ensure there is no panic buying of essential food or household items by Singaporeans in the state.
— CNA

Petronas fails to stay Sarawak suit over 5pc sales tax, hearing set for March 13
The High Court here today dismissed a bid by Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) to stay proceedings in a civil lawsuit filed by the Comptroller of Sarawak Sales Tax and the state government against the national oil company for.
— Malay Mail

AirAsia, AirAsia X appoint external auditor to assist with Airbus review
AirAsia Group Bhd and its affiliate AirAsia X Bhd have appointed BDO Governance Advisory Sdn Bhd as the independent expert to assist the two companies in undertaking a review of bribery allegations.
— The Sun Daily

A shot in the arm for Penang’s electronics and electrical sector
The electronics and electrical (E&E) sector in Penang continues to be resilience despite concerns over a global economic slowdown due to the US-China trade spat and the rapid outbreak of the deadly novel coronavirus.
— The Sun Daily

MAHB airports post 6.5% growth in passenger numbers in January
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) network of airports (including Istanbul SGIA) saw a 6.5% increase in total passenger traffic to 11.9 million in January, from 11.2 million passenger movements at the same time last year.
— The Sun Daily

Court dismisses Petronas bid to postpone Sarawak’s SST suit, hearing on March 13
High Court Judicial Commissioner Christopher Chin has fixed March 13 to hear Sarawak’s bid to recover about RM1.3 billion in unpaid State Sales Tax (SST) from Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas).
— The Borneo Post

Sime Darby Oils, UKM to embark on clinical trial for fatty liver treatment
Sime Darby Oils (SDO) is collaborating with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) for a comprehensive clinical trial to utilise palm oil in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
— The Sun Daily

Legal framework on gender discrimination still being drafted
The government is still in the process of drafting a legal framework to address gender discrimination, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said.
— The Borneo Post

Three firms set up joint venture to digitise old tape data
Three foreign global players have joined forces to set up the Digital Media Supply Chain Centre of Excellence in Kuala Lumpur to convert contents in outdated videotapes, audiotapes and film into digital data.
— The Star Online

Abandoned smokes worth over RM17mil in unpaid taxes seized
The Royal Malaysian Customs Department has seized 130,000 cartons of foreign cigarettes, worth RM17.34mil in unpaid taxes.
— The Star Online

Mestecc launches national action plan on enforcement against plastic waste imports
The Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (Mestecc) today launched the National Action Plan on Enforcement on the Import of Plastic Waste.
— The Sun Daily

AmBank allows customers affected by coronovirus to defer loan repayments
AmBank Group is offering temporary deferment or restructuring of installment repayments for its individual and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) customers in the wake of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.
— Malay Mail

Merging Mavcom and CAAM will be complicated, might not solve FAA downgrade
The government’s proposed merger of the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) is unprecedented, according to Mavcom chief operating officer (COO) Azmir Zain.
— The Sun Daily

No decision made to relaunch search for MH370: Transport Ministry
Malaysia’s Transport Ministry has not made any decision to relaunch a new search mission for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 as there has not been any new credible evidence to initiate such a process.
— The Sun Daily

Saudi King transferred funds into Najib’s account after ‘private chat’ in Riyadh, court told
The late King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia decided to directly transfer monetary aid to Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal bank account instead of a political organisation to avoid complications how it should be spent, the High Court heard.
— The Star Online

Federal Court rules Sarawak DUN right in disqualifying Dr Ting as Pujut ADUN
The Federal Court today ruled that the Sarawak state legislative assembly was right in disqualifying Dr Ting Tiong Choon as the assemblyman for Pujut over his dual citizenship status.
— The Sun Daily

Defence alleges Mahdzir has gambling habit in Rosmah’s corruption trial
Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s defence team alleges that Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid wanted a bribe for himself from the solar hybrid project to fund his gambling addiction, the High Court heard on Tuesday (Feb 11).
— The Star Online

Sabah launches state e-wallet ‘Sabah Pay’
Sabah now has its own state e-wallet, Sabah Pay, a centralised digital application which can be used by both locals and tourists.
— The Star Online

Federal Court declines to answer questions on constitutionality of NSCA
The Federal Court here today declined to answer the constitutional questions referred by Port Dickson Member of Parliament on the constitutionality of the National Security Council Act 2016 (NSCA).
— The Borneo Post

5,000 more boys than girls born last year in Malaysia
Close to 5,000 more baby boys were born in the last quarter of last year compared to girls, says Department of Statistics chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin.He said the number of boys born was 64,349 while the number of female babies was 59,891.
— The Sun Daily

Urgent need to preserve country’s audio-visual history – Gobind
Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo has spoken of the possible need to formulate a national framework for the digitisation of the country’s film and audio-visual collections.
— The Borneo Post

Legal framework on gender discrimination still being drafted: DPM
The government is still in the process of drafting a legal framework to address gender discrimination, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (pix) said.
— The Sun Daily

Cycle & Carriage shareholders say no privatisation offer
Cycle & Carriage Bintang Bhd’s (CCB) shareholders today voted against major shareholder Jardine Cycle & Carriage Limited’s bid to privatise the company at its EGM today, unofficial figures showed.
— The Sun Daily

Kumpulan Powernet bags US$15.9m hydropower plant contract
Kumpulan Powernet Bhd has been awarded a contract for the design, supply, construction, commissioning and completion of an 8-megawatt (MW) small hydropower plant in Vientiane province of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
— The Sun Daily

Agrobank to help businesses overcome impact of coronavirus outbreak
Agrobank is rolling out measures to help small and medium-sized businesses in the agriculture industry to overcome the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on their finances.
— The Star Online

Rosmah trial: Defence paints ex-minister as corrupt, wanting bribes in exchange for approving RM1.25b project
The defence lawyers in Datin Seri Rosmah’s corruption trial posited that ex-education minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid as the corrupt one in the awarding of the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid schools project to Saidi Abang.
— Malay Mail

AmBank to allow instalment deferments, restructuring for virus-affected clients
AmBank Group will allow temporary deferment or restructuring of instalment repayments for its individual and SME customers in the wake of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
— The Sun Daily

KK businesses slash prices, turn to Malaysians to make up for drop in Chinese tourists
The ongoing travel ban on visitors from China has predictably upset tourism in Sabah, along with other businesses that used to thrive on the regular stream of tourists to the north Borneo capital seaside city now strangled…
— Malay Mail

Lion Group ready to invest over RM100 million in Sabah
The Lion Group is prepared to invest more than RM100 million in Sabah, particularly in the agriculture, aquaculture and mining industries.
— The Borneo Post

Education, Health Departments to administer polio vaccine at kindergartens
The State Education Department will work together with the Health Department for the administration of the oral polio vaccine at kindergartens. Its director, Dr Mistirine Radin, said that she is not sure how it is going to be planned, adding that she had just returned to work and had just begun to go […]
— The Borneo Post

11 Pan Borneo highway packages to be completed by 2023
The Ministry of Works and Sabah State Government are committed to ensure that the present awarded 11 Pan Borneo Sabah highway packages are to be completed by 2023, said Special Officer to the Minister of Works, Dr Roland Chia.
— The Borneo Post

No shortage of new ATM recruits
There is no shortage of new recruits for the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) thanks to overwhelming applications from youths.
— New Sarawak Tribune

Issues with Sabah, Sarawak can be ironed out
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has assured investors that the ongoing tussle between the federal government and Sabah and Sarawak on several issues, including oil royalty can be ironed out towards a “win-win” solution.
— New Sarawak Tribune

Malaysia has much to contribute in promoting peace, understanding: Baroness Scotland
Multiethnic and multireligious Malaysia has much to offer to the international community in terms of fostering greater peace and understanding among communities and nations, said Commonwealth secretary-general, Baroness Patricia Scotland.
— The Sun Daily

Hup Seng Q4 earnings slip on poorer margins
Biscuit manufacturer Hup Seng Industries Bhd posted a 2.8% decline in net profit for its fourth quarter ended Dec 31 2019, to RM12.38 million, from RM12.74 million a year before, mainly due to poorer margins in certain segments.
— The Sun Daily

Maqis seizes dried rat meat at Penang International Airport
The Penang branch of the Department of Quarantine and Inspection Services (Maqis) seized 780 grammes of dried rat meat brought in by a passenger from Myanmar at the arrival hall of the Penang International Airport, in Bayan Lepas, near here yesterday.
— The Sun Daily

Ex-minister: Najib gave nod for BN man’s firm to bypass rules and claim pay in RM1.25b project
Then-finance minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak agreed in 2017 to let a Barisan Nasional man’s company be exempted from payment rules in order to claim part of a RM1.25 billion contract, the High Court heard today.
— Malay Mail

Women participation in fight against corruption is crucial: Latheefa Koya
Women’s participation in the fight to combat corruption is crucial as they are the group often taken advantage of and end up becoming a victim, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Latheefa Koya (pix) said today.
— The Sun Daily

Slight increase in Malaysian population but less children
There were 32.68 million people as of last year, about 10% of whom were non-citizens, according to latest statistics.
— FMT News

Saudi ‘donations’ came after Malaysian govt sought money for political longevity, court told in SRC trial
Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom testified in court today that he understood funds originating from the Saudi Royal family which ended up in Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal bank accounts were proceeds following an.
— Malay Mail

1MDB: MACC applies for arrest warrant for Jho Low, PSI directors
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has filed for a warrant of arrest against fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low as well as PetroSaudi International Limited (PSI) directors Patrick Andrew Marc Mahony and Tarek Essam Ahmad Obaid in connection with the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
— The Borneo Post

Rosmah’s lawyer accuses Mahdzir of asking for bribes to approve project for Sarawak schools
The defence lawyers in Datin Seri Rosmah’s corruption trial posited that ex-education minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid as the corrupt one in the awarding of the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid schools project to Saidi Abang Samsudin’s company Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd.
— The Borneo Post

Report: MACC puts in Interpol request to arrest Jho Low, Tarek Obaid and Patrick Mahoney
Malaysia’s anti-graft body has reportedly informed the Interpol of its arrest warrants for three individuals wanted for investigation into the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
— Malay Mail

Lazada restocks face masks, wants consumers to report overcharging sellers
With the ongoing 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak, Lazada wants to ensure that all Malaysians can get access to important necessities such as face masks at a reasonable price.
— Malay Mail

Dr Xavier: 2020 to be landmark year for Malaysian biodiversity
Year 2020 is set to be the landmark year for the country’s biodiversity with the establishment of the National Biodiversity Centre and the review of laws relating to the protection of wildlife and forests taking centre.
— Malay Mail

Private doctors urged to help alleviate shortage of specialists at govt hospitals
Doctors at private healthcare institutions should step up and help public hospitals meet the high demand for medical services.
— The Sun Daily

Free accommodation for cancer patients, family
Cancer outpatients of Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) and their family members, especially those from outstation, can stay at Anjung Sayang for free.
— New Sarawak Tribune

Feature photo Cancer Research Malaysia

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

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