Day: November 16, 2021

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 — The Transport Ministry (MoT) does not prohibit Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) from forming joint ventures with private entities to carry out airport expansion projects.

However, MAHB had chosen to postpone the implementation of the project until it had sufficient cash flow to cover its expenses, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

He noted that currently, MAHB has to bear the operating costs for all 39 airports under its network nationwide, which comes up to RM140 million per month.

“When the situation returns to normal, it will not be a problem to carry out the airport expansion project, especially at the Penang International Airport.

“We still have the proposal, but if it were to be implemented at this time, it would pose a financial constraint for MAHB,” he said when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2022 at the policy level in the Dewan Rakyat today.

On the “takeover” of the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (Subang Airport), Wee stressed that the government had no plans to approve the takeover or sale of any part of the Subang Airport to any private business entities.

He said the rights and operation of the Subang Airport remained as stipulated under the Lease Agreement with MAHB, where MAHB would operate, manage and maintain the airport, including occupying, using and controlling the airport until 2034 (operating agreement) and 2067 (lease agreement).

“MAHB is responsible for developing Subang Airport as an international aerospace hub as decided by the Cabinet on March 2, 2005,” he said.

Meanwhile, no approval has been given on the construction of an aerodrome for the Kulim International Airport (KXP) construction project to date, as provided under the Civil Aviation (Aerodrome Operation) Regulations 2016.

Wee said the final approval on the proposed construction of the KXP will only be considered when the National Airport Strategic Plan (NASP) study is completed.

He also emphasised the need to comply with all conditions set by other government agencies as stated in technical reports such as the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA), Social Impact Assessment Report (SIA) and Traffic Impact Assessment Report (TIA).

“This is to ensure that the proposed airport construction is truly viable, sustainable and meets the technical requirements set by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM),” he said.

So far, the National Physical Planning Council had only given its approval in principle on the KXP project following its meeting on Oct 27, 2020.

“The approval in principle is subject to the application for consideration of the MoT and other government agencies,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 — More women workers in the tourism sector have been affected by job loss compared to men globally, as more women were involved in the tourism-related industries hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis, according to the International Labour Organisation’s 2020 analysis.

In Malaysia, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the number of women working in the country’s tourism industry dropped more than two per cent to 48.3 per cent in 2020 compared to 50.3 per cent in 2019.

“The tourism-related industries most affected included accommodation and food services, retail and wholesale trade, as well as other services including arts and recreation.”

She said this in a session on the impact of COVID-19 on women in tourism: policies for recovery through a gendered lens session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Regional Conference on the Empowerment of Women in Tourism in Asia and The Pacific, here, today.

Nancy said a recent UN Conference on Trade and Development analysis in 2020 predicted that there would be a significant impact on employment for countries reliant on the contribution of tourism to gross domestic product.

In overcoming these challenges, Nancy said the government of Malaysia has continued to introduce support measures, incentives and various initiatives to accelerate recovery and improve the tourism industry as a whole.

“The overarching framework guiding this is Malaysia’s National Tourism Policy 2020- 2030 which is based on the three pillars of competitiveness, inclusiveness and sustainability, and aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals in its six transformation strategies.

“In particular, strategy five is aimed at promoting Sustainable and Responsible Tourism with specific initiatives to benefit women, youth and disadvantaged groups, particularly within the rural communities,” she said.

Nancy said that apart from these targeted initiatives for women and disadvantaged groups, the government’s recently unveiled gender-responsive Budget 2022 was making significant strides towards spurring inclusive recovery to equally benefit women in tourism.

“To date, a total of 6,034 female tourist guides hold an active licence from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia in four categories, namely, City Guide, Nature Guide, Region Specific Tourist Guide and Local Community Host. This figure comprises 35 per cent of Malaysia’s licensed tourist guides totalling 17,067 currently,” she said.

The two-day hybrid event officiated by Nancy has more than 100 participants including high-level officials from the national tourism administrations and women entrepreneurs and representatives from non-governmental organisations.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SEREMBAN, Nov 16 — The Negeri Sembilan government has allocated RM 41.2 million to the state Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) for development and maintenance works this year, said Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.

He said that, of the total, an allocation would also be channelled to the Malaysian Road Records Information System (MARRIS), to plan several technical and non-technical projects to implement flood mitigation works to reduce river pollution and the impact of floods.

“DID acts in providing specialised technical services in water resources management and hydrology, river and coastal basins, environmentally friendly drainage systems as well as irrigation and drainage.

“I really appreciate DID’s commitment in ensuring that understanding and knowledge in the field of water management is disseminated in a correct and orderly manner to departments and agencies, so that we can utilise it for the needs of the people in the state,” he said when closing the World Rivers Day 2021 celebration at Casa Lagenda Convention Centre (CLCC), Senawang today.

Aminuddin also thanked the federal government for providing an allocation of RM7.2 million to develop the Phase 2 of the flood forecasting and warning programme in the state.

He said a total of 106 stations would be developed, with 41 new stations built, and expected to be able to provide flood forecasts and early warnings.

“If now we can forecast within two days in advance, this programme is expected to be able to forecast of up to a week in advance.

“It will provide exposure to residents potentially affected by the floods to evacuate before the floods, as well as provide space for rescue agencies to formulate strategies for evacuation operations efficiently and in an orderly manner,” he said.

He said apart from that, the state government had also planned several initiatives for the state’s 2022 Budget direction and policy, especially for flood mitigation projects.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 16 — Malaysia Truly Asia AEROMEET, a platform where tourism industry players from the Americas, Europe and Oceania (AERO) regions engage in business-to-business (B2B) sessions, has returned this year after a hiatus since 2014.

Organised by Tourism Malaysia, this year’s edition is held fully virtual from today to Nov 18.

Tourism Malaysia, in a statement today said a total of 102 Malaysian organisations comprised of 50 tour operators, three online travel agencies, 35 hoteliers, six state tourism boards, and eight tourism associations, were taking part in the event to promote their products and services.

“The event offers different sessions for participants to partake in, such as seminars, presentations, and product updates by local tourism industry players. Sessions are also separated according to regions Americas, Europe, and Oceania,” it said.

Malaysia Truly Asia AEROMEET 2021 provides the platform for industry players to have B2B sessions with buyers and media from the regions of AERO on the latest tourism development, events and business opportunities.

Tourism Malaysia, an agency with the specific task of promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourism destination, said it was looking forward to discussing possible collaborations and partnerships by leveraging the B2B spectrum.

Also, it looked forward to restoring the confidence among international travel agencies to promote and sell Malaysia’s tourist attractions in anticipation of the reopening of the country’s borders.

The National Recovery Council (MPN) on Nov 11 proposed for the country’s borders to be reopened to foreign visitors on Jan 1 next year at the latest in a bid to expedite the economic recovery of the country, especially the tourism sector.

MPN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was quoted as saying that the Special Committee on Pandemic Management chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob would identify the countries, especially those with high rates of complete vaccination against COVID-19, to be allowed entry into Malaysia.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KOTA BHARU, Nov 16 — The National Registration Department (NRD) has approved the application by two women who were swapped at birth 20 years ago, to correct the information on their birth certificates and identity cards.

Atirah Iwani Ibeni Yanin changed her name from Noratirah Husin while Adryana Iwani Husin changed her name from Adryana Iwani Ibeni Yanin.

Bernama had reported how a twin sister was swapped with another child at birth and the agony the three girls and the two affected families had to go through after they found out the truth 19 years later.

For 19 years, Adryani Iwani and Adryana Iwani grow up as non-identical twins, not realising that they are actually not biological twin sisters as the former’s real twin sister is Atirah Iwani, who was then raised by another family.

Their biological ties were discovered through a DNA test conducted in September last year.

Speaking to Bernama, Atirah Iwani said she was grateful that their application had been approved on Nov 1.

“Even though there is a little change in my name, I still retain my name as Atirah because it was given by my late ‘father’ Husin Omar.

“The new identity card will not only make it easier for me to do important business but it also gives me the confidence to carry my true identity after 20 years living with another family,” she said when met after the handing over ceremony of the identification documents at Wisma Persekutuan here today.

The documents were handed over by NRD deputy director-general (Management) Datuk Saadon Othman.

Commenting further, Atirah Iwani said although she chose to live with her ‘family’ in Pantai Kundor here, her relationship with her real family would always be strong.

“I am currently continuing my studies at one of the universities in Kota Bharu, during my free time, I will visit my birth mother, Siti Aminah Mohd Ismail and my twin sister, Adryani Iwani.

Meanwhile, Adryani Iwani said she would never consider Adryana Iwani as an ‘outsider’ and that their relationship was still continuing as usual.

“Our relationship will continue forever and my mother has also treated her like her own child,” she said.

Saadon said the application was approved by the Kelantan NRD based on the DNA report by the Department of Chemistry Malaysia.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

The Uthmaniah International Cancer Centre (UICC) will be built in Cyberjaya, Sepang next year.

Uthmaniah Properties Development Sdn Bhd chairman, Datuk Ahmad Tarmizi Mohamad said this centre in Selangor Cyber Valley was expected to be ready in 2024. UICC is one of six projects under Uthmaniyah Medical City to be built at a cost of RM3 billion and located on 10.927 hectares of land.

He said the international cancer centre project had received the backing of the Medical Device Authority of Malaysia (MDA) and it would be bringing in American technology such as the proton beam therapy.

“This technology uses a laser eye that is 0.025-millimetre fine. It can break down cancer molecules and is more effective and with less side effects.

“The technology that we will use is able to treat cancer in the initial stage, which is as early as detected.”

He said this to reporters after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU), on behalf of UICC, with the UICC main contractor, Urusan Sempurna Gemilang Sdn Bhd managing director, Azman@Gusti Asari, here, today.

Ahmad Tarmizi said that among the types of cancer that would be treated at the centre were brain, lung, prostate and breast cancer.

He also expects the centre to attract medical tourism, especially patients from Asia and in particular, Southeast Asia.

Besides the UICC, the Uthmaniah medical and research centre, a university, club house, two condominium blocks for patients and a medical shopping centre would also be built.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KOTA SAMARAHAN, Nov 16 — The Sarawak Infectious Diseases Centre (SIDC) is another example of the Sarawak government’s commitment to enhance its biomedical capabilities to look after the wellbeing of Sarawakians.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the initiative was also in line with Sarawak’s initiatives to develop its biomedical industry under the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS 2030) and set the foundation for the state to be at the forefront of biotherapeutics development using local natural resources.

“It is envisaged that the establishment of the SIDC will catalyse the development of biomedical industries in Sarawak, being the start of a biohub (that would be) integrating hospitals, a research centre, academia and a biopark.

“SIDC will also provide a complete pipeline from discovery to testing and clinical trials through to the production plus human capital training to provide a highly-skilled workforce for the biomedical industry,” he said in his speech at the SIDC project’s earth breaking ceremony here today.

Also present was Sarawak Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Datuk Amar Micheal Manyin.

Abang Johari said SIDC would be a focal point for an ecosystem that would accelerate the economic growth and human capital development in the biomedical sector for Sarawak.

“This is a timely project as we need to develop our own capabilities and expertise in preparation for any future outbreaks (of infectious diseases),” he said.

SIDC would be a research facility under the purview of the Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC).

Since its launch in July this year, the SIDC has undertaken a vaccine serology study to establish the effectiveness of the state’s COVID-19 vaccination programme and to provide direction for the vaccination policy in the state.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency