Paper Buruk

KUALA LUMPUR -- Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) has not made a decision on setting  up branches in Sarawak, said its secretary-general Datuk Dr Shahruddin Md. Salleh. He said that for now, the party’s top leadership council was deliberating  on the matter and that a Special Committee would be set to look into it further. He noted that only the council had the powers to approve setting up of divisions or branches in the various states or the Federal Territories. “As for Sarawak, the council has yet to approve the setting up of any division or branch in the state. “Bersatu chairman and Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has in principle agreed to Bersatu’s plan to spread its wings to Sarawak but  it’s execution is still under deliberation by the council,” he said in a statement. Yesterday, it was reported that there was a meeting of Bersatu leaders in Kuching on the setting up of branches. However, a pro-tem chairman of a division...

MAKKAH -- Haj pilgrims who are performing their pilgrimages through agents appointed by Tabung Haji (TH) must lodge their complaints with TH before returning to Malaysia. The director of operations for the management of TH haj pilgrim for the 1439H season Mat Admara Alang Azizdin said this would make it easier for TH to investigate their complaints and collect evidence. “It is compulsory of every agency which has been appointed to provide the haj packages to issue brochures which state the services offered to the pilgrims. “If there is a difference between what has been promised in the brochure and what is provided to the pilgrims, we will take action (on the agency),” he said in a press conference. Commenting on the meals provided to the pilgrims, he said the agencies must display the weekly menus in the dining areas to ensure that the pilgrims get the balanced meals promised to them. However, Mat Admara said TH would look at the offences before d...

KUALA LUMPUR -- Kepimpinan tertinggi PAS akan bermesyuarat pada Sabtu untuk membincangkan calon bagi Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Seri Setia, kata Timbalan Presidennya Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man. Katanya PAS akan membuat keputusan muktamad berhubung penampilan calon parti itu pada mesyuarat berkenaan. "Pada prinsipnya kemungkinan besar kita yang akan bertanding, PAS akan letak calon," katanya kepada pemberita di lobi Parlimen, setelah diminta mengulas kenyataan Timbalan Pengerusi Barisan Nasional (BN) Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan yang mengumumkan BN tidak akan bertanding bagi memberi laluan kepada calon PAS pada PRK itu. Mengulas lanjut, Tuan Ibrahim, yang juga Anggota Parlimen Kubang Kerian, berkata PAS  bersedia menerima bantuan daripada mana-mana pihak yang mahu membantu parti itu menghadapi pilihan raya kecil itu. "Kita akan tengok sejauh mana UMNO...

ALOR SETAR -- Orang ramai yang sedang berurusan di sebuah bank di Pekan Jitra gempar seketika apabila seorang lelaki yang sedang menggunakan mesin pengeluaran wang automatik (ATM)  tiba-tiba rebah dan tidak sedarkan diri, pagi ini. Pegawai Pertahanan Awam Kubang Pasu, Kapten (PA) Kamarulzamal Kasa berkata pihaknya menerima panggilan kecemasan kira-kira 8.22 pagi sebelum tiba di tempat kejadian empat minit kemudian. "Hasil pemeriksaan mendapati lelaki terbabit sudah meninggal dunia dan beberapa minit kemudian pihak hospital dan ambulans tiba jadi, kami serahkan mangsa kepada mereka untuk tindakan selanjutnya," katanya kepada pemberita, hari ini. Sementara itu, Ketua Polis Daerah Kubang Pasu, Supt Mohd Ismail Ibrahim berkata mangsa Mohammad Nor Abu Seman, 53, yang berasal dari Kampung Padang Asun, Jitra memiliki kad rawatan bagi penyakit jantung, darah tinggi dan kencing manis. "Hasil pemeriksaan kamera litar tertutup (CCTV) di bank berkenaan mend...

KUALA LUMPUR -- KTM Distribution Sdn Bhd (KTMD), the express distribution arm of Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd, has been urged to implement a more aggressive business strategy to improve its revenue and not be fully dependent on the main customers. The 2017 Auditor-General's Report Series 1 on the Management of Government Companies and Federal Government Agencies also recommended that the company carry out more effective promotion by doing an effectiveness study on its promotions. The report, which was tabled in Parliament, noted KTMD had implemented courier service activities in line with the objective of its establishment, which was to provide such services to meet the needs of the overseas courier service industry. Nonetheless, KTMD was still found to be not very efficient and effective in managing delivery services such as in terms of marketing strategy, delivery method and revenue collection ...

KUALA LUMPUR – Kerajaan Persekutuan mencatatkan hasil sebanyak RM220.406 bilion pada 2017, iaitu meningkat sebanyak 3.8 peratus (RM7.985 bilion) berbanding 2016. Menurut Laporan Ketua Audit Negara 2017 yang dikeluarkan hari ini, perbelanjaan mengurus dan pembangunan berjumlah RM262.579 bilion iaitu meningkat sebanyak RM10.411 bilion berbanding 2016. “Kerajaan Persekutuan mengalami defisit berjumlah RM40.321 bilion dengan nisbah defisit kepada Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) pada paras tiga peratus,” katanya. Menurut laporan itu, Kerajaan Persekutuan telah membuat pinjaman dari dalam dan luar negara berjumlah RM129.248 bilion bagi membiayai perbelanjaan pembangunan dan membayar balik hutang manakala hutang Persekutuan berjumlah RM686.837 bilion dengan nisbah hutang kepada KDNK pada paras 50.8 peratus. “Pembayaran balik hutang secara terus daripada akaun pinjaman disatukan adalah di luar mekanisme bajet kerajaan. ...

MAKKAH -- Tabung Haji (TH) mengingatkan kepada setiap agensi pelancongan yang diberikan lesen untuk mengendalikan pakej haji agar mematuhi segala peraturan dan iklan yang telah mereka keluarkan atau bakal berdepan risiko disenarai hitam. Pengarah Operasi Pengelola Jemaah Haji TH musim 1439H Mat Admara Alang Azizzdin berkata agensi-agensi ini akan sentiasa dipantau oleh pihak TH berhubung dengan perkhidmatan mereka kepada jemaah sepanjang berada di tanah suci. "Di Madinah, kita mempunyai empat pemantau, manakala di Makkah kita mempunyai sembilan pemantau, termasuk dua Pembimbing Ibadat Haji Tanah Suci (PIHTAS) TH yang akan memantau ceramah haji yang dijalankan oleh agensi ini. "Kita tidak mahu wakil penceramah dari agensi yang dilantik ini memberi ceramah yang keluar dari konteks atau hukum yang telah diputuskan oleh TH semasa muzakarah haji di Malaysia," katanya, lapor Bernama. Dahulu, TH mempunyai lebih 30 buah syarikat ya...

GEORGE TOWN -- Speaker of the Penang Legislative Assembly Datuk Law Choo Kiang reminded the people’s representatives to abide by the ethics of the assembly by only discussing matters pertaining to the state during the question-and-answer session. Law said all the members of the state assembly were advised not to use this opportunity to ask questions which were not related to Penang, especially aimed at Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Air Putih) and Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR-Pantai Jerejak). "I want to remind all state assemblymen at this sitting not to raise matters which are outside this state. “All the state assemblymen should discuss matters which occur in Penang, even though there are ministers in this assembly,” he said at the First Meeting of the First Term of the 14th Penang State Legislative Assembly. Law’s reminder was supported by Nor Hafizah Othman (BN-Permatang Berangan) who urged Lim and Saifuddin not to entertain questions which are not co...

KUALA LUMPUR -- Sidang Dewan Rakyat diberitahu, sebanyak 3,015 sekolah di seluruh negara dikategorikan sebagai sekolah kurang murid setakat 31 Mei lepas. Timbalan Menteri Pendidikan Teo Nie Ching berkata daripada jumlah itu sebanyak 2,054 daripadanya adalah Sekolah Kebangsaan, 601 Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) dan 360 SJK Tamil. “Penurunan kemasukan ini berlaku mungkin disebabkan penghijrahan penduduk dari kawasan tersebut ke lokasi lain,” katanya. Beliau menjawab soalan Wong Ling Biu (DAP-Sarikei) berkenaan adakah kementerian akan mempertimbangkan untuk memperbaharui prosedur supaya memudahkan keperluan perpindahan SJKC ke kawasan bandar ekoran penghijrahan penduduk dari pedalaman ke bandar. Teo berkata menurut Pelan Hala Tuju Sekolah Kurang Murid yang dibentangkan pada 2017, sekolah yang mengalami penurunan kemasukan murid dalam tempoh tertentu secara berturut-turut akan dicadang dipindahkan ke lokasi baharu yang mempunyai pot...

PENAMPANG -- Ketua Menteri Sabah Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal mengingatkan semua pihak agar menghindarkan diri daripada menggunakan isu-isu sensitif di negara majmuk seperti Malaysia, terutama isu kaum dan agama, sebagai bahan senda gurau kerana ia boleh menggugat keharmonian dan perpaduan rakyat. Mohd Shafie berkata banyak negara di dunia hari ini berhadapan banyak masalah dalaman serta konflik kerana kegagalan negara berkenaan mengurus isu-isu sensitif seperti itu dan kegagalan itu telah menjadi ancaman dalaman kepada negara berkenaan. "Sebab itu, kita berharap rakyat di negara ini jangan permainkan persoalan agama, jangan persendakan persoalan kaum lain kerana ini unsur yang boleh memecah-belahkan kita. "Sebagai rakyat Malaysia, yang penting kepada kita ialah kita mesti ada kesepaduan dan kesepakatan…," katanya ketika berucap merasmikan Majlis Pelancaran Bulan Kebangsaan dan Kempen Kibar Jalur Gemilang Peringkat Negeri Sabah. Turut hadir pada majlis berken...

KLANG -- The Barisan Nasional (BN) has described the Sungai Kandis by-election results as a good signal for the party, said its deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. He said this was because there was no vast difference on the number of votes received by the party in the by-election from the number of votes garnered in the 14th general election (GE14). "I thought we would be badly defeated tonight but the results proved otherwise, as we managed to obtain 75 per cent of the over 11,000 votes garnered in the GE14. “The result is much better compared to the votes obtained by PH (Pakatan Harapan). We expected them to poll about 18,000 votes but they only received over 15,000 votes which was actually a drop from the GE14 results, " he told reporters at the BN main operation room. Also present was BN candidate in the Sungai Kandis by-election, Datuk Lokman Noor Adam. Elaborating Mohamad said that the low voter turnout also showed the people's protest against the ...

GEORGE TOWN -- Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has been told to furnish evidence that former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) chief executive officer Arul Kandasamy was paid RM10 million a year prior to joining IMDB. Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said he wanted the former prime minister to prove that Arul was earning much more while working in the private sector before joining 1MDB. “He claimed Arul was paid much higher salary in the private sector but up to now it is just mere empty talk, so I hope my predecessor will be able to provide proof of the claim,” he told reporters after attending a premier of the film, Rise Ini Kalilah. Lim who also hit out at the allegations of the former prime minister that Arul had made great sacrifice and contributed to 1MDB and said 1MDB is actually a loss-making concern with huge amount of debts. “So what did he sacrifice and, what were his l...

SHAH ALAM -- The Selangor government guaranteed that the water tariffs in the state, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya will not be raised at this juncture but will be dependent on the capability of the administration in the future. Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said this is because they have to consider all matters and related aspects first in view of the rising cost to produce clean water. “At the moment there is no (water tariff) hike and we will continue the free water program that cost RM180 million a year although it did increase many times since its inception (in June 2008) at about RM70 million a year. “Nevertheless, we are acting according to the state's current capability and at the moment, we are still able to (bear the costs) even though we created many other programs to benefit the people,” he told the press, Bernama reported. He said this to counter the statement of former Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim yesterday, claiming that water users in...

KUALA LUMPUR -- The government is looking into upgrading the status of KAFA (religious) teachers, including appointing them to permanent posts, said Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Fuziah Salleh. She said a study on the matter was being conducted by the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim), which is the coordinator of the ​​​​​​​KAFA programme. “Jakim is conducting a study to upgrade the status of KAFA teachers, among others, to be appointed as permanent staff in the service and we want to ensure the skills of KAFA teachers are upgraded through appropriate courses,” she said at the Dewan Rakyat sitting. She was replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PAS-Kubang Kerian) on the government’s plan to upgrade the status of KAFA contract teachers nationwide. Fuziah said at present 31,460 KAFA teachers and 973,555 pupils were attending KAFA programmes at...

KUALA LUMPUR – Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said she will not relinquish her position in the cabinet as well as the Member of Parliament for Pandan, to make way for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. She emphasised that she would retain all positions that she was holding although Anwar had won without contest the post of president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). "Certainly not (relinquish position). InsyaAllah (I will retain all posts including as the Member of Parliament for Pandan),” she said when met by reporters at the Parliament. However, ​​​​​​​Dr Wan Azizah who is also PKR president, said the decision whether Anwar would contest a Parliamentary seat would be determined later. Yesterday, Anwar unofficially won uncontested the position of PKR president after no nomination form was received from any other individual to challenge him at the 2018 PKR election. Meanwhile,  Anwar’s eldest child Nurul Izzah ...

KUALA LUMPUR -- The recent inflow of foreign funds into the capital market could be interrupted in the coming weeks by renewed concerns over the trade friction between the United States and  China, an analyst said. MIDF Amanah Investment Bank Analyst Adam Mohamed Rahim said foreign funds were net buyers, as of Thursday, pumping in RM331.9 million against a net outflow of almost RM500 million recorded last week on the back of positive developments locally and overseas. “Tuesday’s inflow of RM343.5 million was not only partly due to month-end window dressing but it also coincided with the visit of China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Malaysia which paved the way for better bilateral ties between both countries,” he told Bernama. Adam said the net inflow trend continued on Wednesday at RM151.3 million following news that trade talks between Washington and Beijing would restart and this coupled with Wall Street’s recovery, sparked buying interest, Howeve...

PETALING JAYA -- PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli confirms he will be contesting for the party deputy presidency in its upcoming polls following the submission of his nomination yesterday. The form was submitted by his representative at PKR headquarters here about 11.30 am. According to PKR Elections Committee secretary Ismail Yusof, they had received two nomination papers for the party vice-presidency – namely from Selayang Member of Parliament William Leong and former Subang Jaya Municipal Council councillor Micheal Tamil – as at noon. A total of 22 nomination forms were received for 20 positions in the PKR’s Central Leadership Council. Meanwhile, PKR vice-president Fuziah Salleh, who is also Kuantan Member of Parliament (MP), had submitted her nomination form for the Wanita chief post about noon. The form was proposed by Selangor State Executive Councillor Rodziah Ismail and supported by Akademi Keadilan Tr...

JITRA – Seorang murid lelaki Darjah 1 maut akibat tercekik biji rambutan ketika makan buah berkenaan di bilik guru di Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Bandar Baru Sintok. Sumber memberitahu kejadian berlaku kira-kira pukul 2 petang ketika mangsa, yang merupakan murid di Sekolah Kebangsaan Bandar Baru Sintok pergi ke tempat ibunya seorang guru di SMK Bandar Baru Sintok yang hanya terletak bersebelahan. "Sewaktu itu mangsa sedang bermain-main bersama beberapa rakannya sebelum dia ke bilik guru berkenaan untuk makan rambutan, tapi waktu makan arwah tercekik dan meninggal dunia di Klinik Changlun," katanya kepada Bernama. Difahamkan mangsa sedang dibedah siasat di Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah sebelum jenazah dibawa ke Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang untuk urusan pengebumian. Sementara itu, guru kelas kepada mangsa, Sharfiza Shamsir Alam berkata mangsa m...

source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-45080138 JAKARTA -- Malaysians in Lombok are reported to be safe following the 7-magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale yesterday. Malaysian Deputy Ambassador to Indonesia, Zamshari wShaharan said the embassy managed to contact a total of 84 Malaysians at several locations in Lombok so far this morning and had been informed they were safe. “They are reported to be safe, the embassy has also managed to contact Malaysian students studying in Bali and they are also reported to be safe,” he said. Strong tremors from the earthquake in North Lombok Utara at  6.46 pm yesterday was also felt around Lombok Island, Sumbawa Island, Bali Island and East Jawa. The Malaysian Embassy also advised Malaysians in Lombok to remain in places that were safe and avoid high risk areas, including damaged buildings.

IPOH -- Sultan Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah bertitah agar perkara-perkara asas yang terkandung dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan perlu terus dipertahan tanpa kompromi walau berlaku perubahan kerajaan . Titah baginda antara perkara asas tersebut adalah yang menyentuh Raja-Raja Melayu , agama Islam, bahasa kebangsaan , kedudukan istimewa orang Melayu dan bumiputera serta kepentingan sah kaum-kaum lain menurut Perkara 153 Perlembagaan Persekutuan . " Perkara-perkara tersebut jangan sama sekali mahu disensasikan oleh mana-mana pihak . Jangan ada individu atau badan yang mahu menjadi jaguh , mengungkit dan menuntut perkara-perkara asas yang telah dipersetujui dan termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Negara . " Perbuatan mahu merombak persetujuan dan kontrak sosial yang telah dipersetujui bersama semasa menggubal Perlembagaan Merdeka , akan hanya mengundang suasana tidak harmoni yang boleh menggugat kestabilan p...

PETALING JAYA – PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim unofficially won the post of PKR president without contest when no other individual sent their nomination to challenge him in the 2018 PKR election. Secretary of the Central Election Committee (JPP) Ismail Yusof, however, said the official announcement would be made on Aug 19 after the election and confirmation process had been made by the JPP. Anwar's name was proposed by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is not defending the party president's post which she currently holds, and was submitted by PKR Strategic Director Sim Tze Tzin as supporter at about 11.15 am. Speaking to reporters after the nomination of candidates was closed at the PKR Headquarters, Ismail announced that the JPP received the nomination forms for PKR Vice-President from Rafizi Ramli who would challenge incumbent Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali for the deputy president's post. For the post of...

PARIT BUNTAR -- The law that states that Muslim women and men can get married at the age of 16 and 18 respectively provided that they have the permission from the court, Menteri Besar or Chief Minister, will probably be abolished in the future. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department ​​​​​​​Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said this was to open the door for a new law to be drafted that would ban child marriage. “We are proposing for such provisions to be abolished, or in other words to ban child marriage and to consider it an offence for anyone to get married before reaching the minimum legal age. “The ban is not in terms of syariah law, but just in terms of administration,” he told reporters after meeting zebra dove enthusiasts’ in Tanjung Piandang. Mujahid, however, said that child marriage was quite a sensitive issue as it also involved the customs of certain ethnic groups, especially in Sabah and Sarawak. Commenting ...

JAKARTA -- The Malaysian embassy here  has activated its operations room to assist Malaysians in Lombok who need consular assistance following the magnitude seven earthquake that jolted the island this evening. Malaysians who were are in Lombok are asked to stay calm and comply with the directions of local authorities. "The Malaysian Embassy is activating the operations room and Malaysians in Lombok who need consular help can call the phone number +62215224947 and +62 8138081 3036 (Whatsapp) and e-mail mwjakarta@kln.gov.my / jkonsular@gmail.com," a statement from the embassy said. The strong earthquake in off north Lombok at 6.46 pm today was also felt around Sumbawa Island, Bali Island and East Java. Deputy ambassador Zamshari Shaharan, when contacted, said the embassy was coordinating action by working with the Indonesian police and the republic’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) to identify if there were Malaysians affected by the quake...

KUALA LUMPUR -- The government will continue to take proactive measures to increase foreign direct investments (FDI) by giving more attention to high-quality investments which can stimulate the economy. Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Dr Ong Kian Ming said as a country moving towards developed nation status, focus would be given to high-quality and high-technology investments, as well as reducing the dependency on foreign labour. Meanwhile, he said only a low level of FDI outflows were recorded since May. “From May-June, three FDI projects amounting to RM16.4 million from the manufacturing sector were closed, stopped or relocated. “Based on the value of investments, there were from small-scale companies,” he said, in response to a written question from Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin (BN-Larut) on the amount of FDI outflow since May in the Dewan Rakyat here today. Ong said among the factors influencing FDI outflows were market uncertainties and contr...

GEORGE TOWN – The Health Ministry denies having any information on claims of a possible cover-up over allegations of sexual harassment made by trainee doctors involving a department head at a hospital in the Klang Valley. Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the independent investigation body set up to probe the issue of sexual harassment would look into victims’ claims of a cover-up at the first meeting expected to take place next week. “I do not know and there is no information on the matter (claims that certain quarters are covering up trainee doctors’ reports on sexual harassment) but I would like to inform that we at the ministry are committed and will work together with the independent investigation body to get to the bottom of the issue. “The independent investigation body comprising representatives from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and related agencies will carry out the investigation in de...