Day: October 25, 2021

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People need to be assured of their place in Keluarga Malaysia – Sultan Nazrin

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 — The people need to be assured that they have a place in Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family), Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah said.

As such, he said the spirit of Keluarga Malaysia needs to be strengthened through the practice of openness in accepting the differences of opinion, in agreeing to disagree, and in appreciating the differences of approaches and methods.

“Each voice should be given space to be heard because the voices of the unheard have the potential to ignite a fire with lava of revenge that is more volcanic in nature,” he said at the sending-off ceremony at Dewan Bendahara, Istana Negara today.

Among those present at the ceremony were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Zuki Mohd Ali, Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Senate president Tan Sri Rais Yatim and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun.

While giving an analogy of a large orchestra, Sultan Nazrin said each musical instrument has its own sound, whether by blowing, pressing, stroking or beating and none of them is deemed insignificant or unimportant.

“A great orchestra conductor appreciates every sound from every instrument. More instruments will make more sounds and a greater melody if successfully harmonised. A wise leader can learn a lot from a great orchestra conductor,” he said.

Sultan Nazrin said the concept of a Malaysian family is nothing new, and he believed that the concept of Keluarga Malaysia mooted by the Prime Minister refers to a very large Malaysian family.

Therefore, he said a leader of a very large family needs a high level of patience, capability, focus and willpower to discharge his duties in a fair and just manner.

“The bigger the family, the more complex the challenges will be as more family members mean more voices to be heard, and more requirements and needs to be fulfilled,” he said.

In his address, Sultan Nazrin also expressed appreciation to the Prime Minister and the entire Malaysian Cabinet for all the cooperation given to him in exercising the duties of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The ruler also express similar appreciation to Chief Secretary to the Government and government officials who had provided him with information and advice before making any decision.

“The same goes to Istana Negara officials and staff who had made it easy for me to exercise the duties of the Head of State.

“May the harmonious ties between Istana Negara and Putrajaya continue to persist in the spirit of mutual understanding and mutual respect,” he added.

Sultan Nazrin is performing the duties of the King from Sept 18 during Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah’s visit to the United Kingdom.

Sultan Nazrin will end the duties at midnight tonight.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

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MOH procuring 490 Type B ambulance

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) is procuring 490 Type B ambulance and related equipment via open tender under the provisions of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), the Dewan Negara was told today.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said the move was to replace ambulances which were damaged or disposed off.

“This procurement is in the process of evaluating tenders and they (ambulances) are expected to be delivered to the users in stages from the middle of 2022,” he said during the question-and-answer session.

He was replying to a question from Senator Dr Ahmad Azam Hamzah who wanted to know whether the plan to buy 300 ambulances for use during the COVID-19 pandemic was still on.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Azmi said that there were three types of ambulances, namely, Type A, Type B and four-wheel drive to avoid any confusion in future.

“Previously, news went viral saying we (MOH) utilised ambulances with negative pressure and what not, actually, that is not in what we are doing now. This procurement is for Type B… there are three types of ambulances, Type A, Type B and four-wheel (drive).

“Type A is the most sophisticated, it has a ventilator, patients needing breathing aid can use them and most are sent to schools.

“The second one is type B, which we ordered, which are without ventilators, or complete knockdown class, meaning, we take this van and modify it to become an ambulance,” he said.

He said the procurement of the 490 ambulances came under phase one and MOH would implement phase two, namely, adding another 100 units to areas nationwide at a cost of about RM400,000.

Dr Noor Azmi said this in reply to answering to a supplementary question from Ahmad Azam who wanted to know the expected annual maintenance cost for the ambulances.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

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Kedah LKIM to create frozen fish stockpiles for monsoon season

SUNGAI PETANI, Oct 25 — The Kedah branch of the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) will create frozen fish (Q-Fish) stockpiles to ensure an adequate supply of fish during the northeast monsoon season, which is expected to begin next month.

Its director, Dr Abdul Salim Tajudin, said that for a start, 10 tonnes of frozen fish, purchased and collected from fishermen statewide, would be used as buffer stock at the LKIM Kuala Kedah port in Alor Setar.

“We expect the northeast monsoon will last from this November to January next year, which will reduce fish supply. However, LKIM will create a buffer stock to overcome this shortage.

“We will start putting together a buffer stock in December, with an initial 10 tonnes of fish to be frozen using individual quick freezing (IQF) technology,” he said when met at LKIM’s 50th Golden Jubilee celebration and the ‘gotong-royong’ with fishing community in Tanjung Dawai today.

Also present was state Agriculture and Food Industry, Plantation Industries and Commodities, Transport and Indian Community Affairs Committee chairman, Azman Nasruddin.

Abdul Salim said that among the types of fish collected included kembung, cencaru and selayang, which were in high demand by the people in the state.

He added that the buffer stock is also expected not only to overcome the shortage of fish supply but also to stabilise fish prices, which usually rise sharply during the monsoon season.

“People can also enjoy fish that is guaranteed to be of quality as well as fresh, and will be sold 20 per cent cheaper than the market price. For example, the highest selling price is ikan termenung, at RM8 per kilogramme,” he added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

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There is urgent need to increase digital-ready MSMEs across ASEAN – PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 — There is an urgent need in increasing digital-ready micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) among the ASEAN community, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

In his keynote address during the ASEAN Business Investment Summit 2021, Ismail Sabri said MSMEs that are lacking in access to technologies are facing the greatest risk of being left behind in this post-pandemic era.

“In the light of this summit, the existing ecosystem of all ASEAN states must also be strengthened, while some areas are in dire need of streamlining on certain policies,” he said.

Therefore, he urged fellow ASEAN countries to work closely in ensuring digital technologies will benefit all.

“In achieving such aspirations, the wealth of experience, technological capacity and innovative approach of private sectors could be further consolidated via public policy.

“I firmly believe that through capitalising on those synergies, we would be able to pave the path for an inclusive digitally-enabled ASEAN in the near future,” Ismail Sabri said.

He said while digital integration has enabled ASEAN to harness its collective competitiveness in the global economy and foster domestic growth, divergences in technological readiness and connectivity remain elusive.

Hence, the region cannot disregard the speed and scale of changes that have implicated society, of which in due process had widened inequalities across nations.

“The essential question – how do we harness these technologies for future preparation of our businesses and people, while cushioning disruptive transitions?

“Thus, we need to reshape our digital ecosystem in a way that ensures inclusive, sustainable and resilient growth. On this note, allow me to share three key points of suggested resolutions,” he said.

Ismail Sabri said it is imperative for every ASEAN state to foster a truly accessible and affordable digital infrastructure for all, hence there are needs to build inclusive digital infrastructure.

He said Malaysia has taken efforts to improve the foundational infrastructure, with the launching of the Malaysian Digital Blueprint (or MyDIGITAL) initiative early this year in tandem with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0).

“Our aim is to transform the nation into a digitally-enabled, technology-driven high-income economy, while enhancing digital infrastructure for seamless and extensive connectivity.

“This aspiration is currently being actualised by the National Digital Network (or JENDELA) action plan, with an allocation of approximately US$6.7 billion,” he noted.

Malaysia also aimed to improve broadband quality and coverage while paving the way to 5G technology, to enable the country to enhance the preparedness of the nation as well as catalysing a conducive ecosystem for an innovative economy.

He said ASEAN also needed to promote inclusive digital literacy, and to this effect, Malaysia has emphasised developing future-ready digital talents as one of the outlined strategies under the recently tabled 12th Malaysia Plan.

Under the plan, continuous measures in upskilling and reskilling digital literacy will be undertaken in ensuring the relevancy of the workforce at all times. Malaysia is also consistently expanding industrial trainings, which include technical and vocational education training, research and development, as well as commercialisation and innovation.

Ismail Sabri said that via various initiatives, the persistent gap in digital skills across the ASEAN region could eventually be brought closer.

“This is essential for better cooperation and prosperity among ASEAN states, considering the fact that some ASEAN members are having more than 90 per cent of digital penetration, while some only by 40 per cent,” he said.

Ismail Sabri said Malaysia has also intensified policy interventions which specifically target to expand the breadth and depth of digitalisation adoption by MSMEs.

“This approach is imperative for Malaysia, as our MSMEs accounted for more than 90 per cent of businesses in ASEAN economies.

“Without due preparations and measures, we could be among the most hard-hit by the pandemic post repercussion,” he said.

Therefore, he said successful adoption of digital technologies are crucial for consistent revitalisation and sustainable economic recovery.

“Digitalisation and technological innovation have been embedded in the initiatives and action plans, including in some of the free trade agreements.

“The recently endorsed Bandar Sri Begawan Roadmap has aspired many in propelling ASEAN’s transformation into a sustainable digital future. This initiative is in accordance with the past Global Survey, which had ascertained Asia in becoming a home to the largest number of digital platform companies,” he said.

In 2016 alone, Asia’s market capitalisation had reached over US$930 billion, whereas for Southeast Asia it was US$7 billion.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

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TH donates 25 passenger vans to selected welfare homes nationwide

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 — Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) through its Mobility Programme 2021 will contribute 25 passenger vans to selected welfare homes nationwide with an allocation of RM2.5 million.

In a statement today, TH said the programme, launched in 2016, was aimed at donating dual-function vans that could be used by the local community as passenger vans or hearses.

“Since its introduction, TH has donated more than 56 multi-functional vehicles to selected mosques nationwide which have benefited more than 200,000 people.

“This year, TH will extend the contributions to welfare homes and associations such as orphanages, old folks’ homes and homes for persons with disabilities to help make it easier for them to carry out their activities and programmes,” the statement read.

According to the statement, TH has also allocated RM18.7 million to implement other programmes such as the ‘Ehsan’, ‘Ikhtiar’ and ‘A’fiat’ Programmes.

Meanwhile, TH donated a van for the daily use of the Nur Murni Care Centre in Batu Kawa, Kuching, Sarawak, yesterday.

At the event, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Idris Ahmad handed over a replica of the van key to the Nur Murni Care Centre chairman Noni @ Noraini Bakiri in conjunction with his first working visit to the state.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

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New date for tabling of MA63 bill

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 25 — The Cabinet has decided to set another date for the tabling of the bill to amend several provisions in the Federal Constitution relating to Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

He said the postponement was triggered as consensus could not be reached on the proposed amendments to some of the relevant articles in the Federal Constitution during an engagement session yesterday, which was also attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The bill was initially scheduled to be tabled at Dewan Rakyat tomorrow followed by the second reading on Oct 28 (2021).

Wan Junaidi in a statement today said the new date for the first reading of the bill would be determined after a briefing by the Attorney-General (AG) on the matter during the Cabinet meeting this Friday.

“Although the Cabinet has in principle agreed to the proposed bill, there are several ministers who are seeking further clarification on the amendments. That is why the Cabinet has decided that it would be best to set a new date to table the bill after the briefing by the AG,” he said.

Wan Junaidi said the decision was made to ensure that the bill would obtain full support from all the ministers.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

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Fake news continues to be controlled after revocation of Emergency Ordinances – Annuar

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 — The dissemination of fake news after the revocation of the Emergency Ordinances will continue to be curbed using the existing provisions of laws including the Penal Code, the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the revocation of the Emergency Ordinances would also not obstruct cases under investigations as well as ongoing court proceedings according to the law.

He said in the enforcement of the ordinances, there were no compounds (fake news) issued as there are no provisions to compound offences nonetheless there were cases brought to court and fined.

“In line with the provisions of the country’s Constitution, cases which occurred when the ordinance was in force can continue after the revocation while cases under review and so on depended on the discretion of the the Attorney-General’s Chambers on whether to pursue the case or not,” he said when winding up the debate on the motion to revoke the Emergency Ordinances at Dewan Rakyat today.

Annuar said since the Emergency Ordinances came into effect from March 12 to Oct 21 this year, 30 investigations papers were opened with 26 settled covering 12 cases charged and 14 cases classified as no further action or NFA.

Apart from that, four cases were still under investigation involving one case by the Royal Malaysia Police and three more cases with the Attorney-General’s Chambers and state prosecution director.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency