MAFI allocates RM10 mln for urban farming next year

JASIN, Dec 19 — The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) has allocated about RM10 million to implement the Urban Farming programme at 1,430 locations nationwide next year.

MAFI deputy minister I Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah said the programme is expected to benefit 13,075 individuals, who would be given an urban agricultural kit worth RM300 each.

He said the participants are expected to produce 2,200 tonnes of vegetables through the initiative, which is aimed at reducing the cost of living and address the rising prices of goods.

“The Urban Farming Programme is gaining popularity and has been expanded in stages to the rural areas.

“It not only helps to improve the socio-economic aspect of the local community, ’but also supports the food supply of the urban and rural residents,” he told reporters at the presentation of the Urban Agriculture Kit by the Melaka Agriculture Department here today.

A total of 270 urban farming kits were presented to participants from the Merlimau and Serkam state constituencies.

Ahmad said, based on the research by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), household expenditure could be reduced by an average of RM66 per monthif people grow their own vegetables.

Hence, he said, implementing the programme would be in tandem with efforts to help the B40 group and ensure no Malaysian Families were affected due to the rapid urbanisation process.

Ahmad said the government had allocated RM63.32 million for Urban Farming Programme since 2012,.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

Simultaneous Keluarga Malaysia Sale in 177 constituencies

JOHOR BAHRU, Dec 19 — The Keluarga Malaysia Sale (PJKM) initiative by the government to help reduce the cost of living was held simultaneously in 177 parliamentary constituencies this week.

In a statement today, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) said the programme which started on Dec 4 will be held every fortnight until the end of March 2022 in all 222 parliamentary constituencies with the location given via a public announcement.

“The PJKM allows consumers to shop for daily necessities that are up to 20 per cent lower than market price.

“It is a collaborative effort by KPDNHEP, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI), the Ministry of Finance (MOF), agencies, wholesalers and retailers to deal with increasing prices not just in Malaysia, but globally, too,” the statement said.

Some of the things being offered at the sale are chicken, eggs, fish, vegetables, cooking oil, sugar, flour, rice and processed food.

This morning, KPDNHEP secretary general, Datuk Seri Hasnol Zam Zam Ahmad, went on a walkabout at the PJKM held at the Sembrong constituency community centre in Kluang.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

Malaysia, Bangladesh sign MoU on worker recruitment

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 19 — Malaysia and Bangladesh today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers, effective for five years until December 2026.

The MoU was signed by Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan and Bangladesh’s Expatriates’ Welfare & Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad here today.

Saravanan said in a statement that the MoU outlined the responsibilities of both countries, including those related to the employers from Malaysia and workers from Bangladesh as well as the duties of private employment agencies in both countries.

“The MoU is a follow-up to the approval of the Cabinet meeting for it to be finalised immediately as the previous MoU expired on Feb 17,” he said.

According to Saravanan, the implementation of the MoU would be regulated by a group, Joint Working Group (JWG) that will comprise members from both countries.

He said that as of Nov 30, a total of 326,669 Bangladeshi nationals were working in Malaysia, with the majority of them being employed in the manufacturing sector (111,694) and construction sector (136,897).

“The inking of the MoU is expected to meet the urgent need for foreign workers, including in the plantation sector, with the Cabinet having already approved 32,000 of them via special exemption.

“This is because there is a restriction on the entry of Indonesian workers for the plantation sector until the MoU on the Indonesian Domestic Servant (PDI) has been signed,” he said.

Saravanan said the Human Resources Ministry had also stipulated that employers who wanted to recruit foreign workers would have to provide housing or accommodation facilities as stipulated under the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act in 1966.

“This is meant to tackle the element of forced labour related to accommodation facilities or housing for workers,” he said.

In line with the decision of the Cabinet meeting on Dec 10 to allow foreign workers to be recruited for all sectors, he said the standard operating procedure (SOP) on the entry of foreign workers had been finetuned and improved.

He said the SOP covered four phases, namely pre-release, upon arrival, after arrival (quarantine) and post-quarantine.

The pre-release phase includes aspects on getting fully vaccinated for COVID-19 in the country of origin and the Real-Time Polymerase Chain Response (RT-PCR) screening test to be done two days before departure.

In the arrival phase, the foreign workers will only be allowed to come in through one international entrance, namely the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) for air travel.

Saravanan said that Bukit Kayu Hitam, Wang Kelian and Rantau Panjang were for land routes limited to Thai fishing vessel crew.

“For the after arrival phase, which is the quarantine period, the foreign workers will be placed at quarantine centres in the Klang Valley for seven days where the screening tests will be carried out on the second and fifth day of the quarantine period.

“In the post-quarantine phase, the foreign workers will be taken to their respective work places and undergo health checks by Foreign Workers Medical Examination Monitoring Agency (Fomema),” he said.

According to him, the entry of foreign workers, including Bangladeshis, would be strictly monitored based on stipulated SOP by the ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and National Security Council (MKN).

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

Thousands displaced by floods in Malaysia

Published by
Reuters

By Rozanna Latiff and Liz Lee KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -Torrential rains in Malaysia have caused flooding that has driven more than 11,000 people from their homes, closed dozens of roads and disrupted shipping, authorities said on Saturday. More than 66,000 personnel from the police, army and fire department have been mobilised nationwide to help rescue people stranded by flood waters and take them to shelters, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob told a news conference late on Saturday. Floods in Malaysia are common during the annual monsoon season between October and March, particularly on the c… Continue reading “Thousands displaced by floods in Malaysia”

The Vault Quintuples Down on the Growing Potential of the Online Auto Market in 2021

1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88 On Auction During the Sale

JACKSON, Miss., Dec. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Vault is one of Sonicbidder.com’s most frequent consignors. In the past year, the duo have teamed up for five auctions. Together, the two have made several millions in asset conversions, setting the tone for the bold and relatively new landscape of online-only automotive auctions. When Sonicbidder.com announced plans for their year-end sale, “Christmas Around the World,” JD Pass was more than happy to consign some wares from his notable Jackson, Mississippi, showroom.

That happiness would pay off. With a majority sale-through rate, Christmas Around the World was another success for the online auction platform that meant more returns for their consignors. Pass himself was particularly thrilled saying, “We were excited to use this opportunity to sell so much of our inventory right here at the end of the year. Sonicbidder.com is always fruitful for us.” The Vault dispatched inventory nationally and internationally thanks to the world stage promised by Sonicbidder.com.

This sale was the perfect way for The Vault to make room for even more collections in 2022. Pass and crew have subsequently acquired a small collection and are in talks to acquire a few more even now before the ball drops. Pass considers his moves on Sonicbidder.com to be not just an instrumental part of his business but a necessity of doing business in the future. Amongst talks of NFTs, blockchains, and the Metaverse, one thing is clear. The extended potential of the internet is the next frontier. As online shopping continues to be the consumer’s ideal form of commerce, automotive business will need to continue to find new ways to follow suit. Sonicbidder.com understands this and so does The Vault. This is why they continue their consignment agreement and why both are confident that they will continue to partner in 2022 and beyond.

The Vault // caleb@thevaultms.com

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Image 1: 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88 On Auction During the Sale

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CNH Industrial announces publication of combined financial figures for both Off-Highway and On-Highwaybusinesses

ADVERTISEMENT. This announcement is an advertisement for the purposes of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129, as amended (the “Prospectus Regulation”) relating to the intention of Iveco Group N.V. (“Iveco Group”) to proceed with the Admission (as defined below). This announcement does not constitute or form part of a prospectus within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation and has not been reviewed nor approved by any regulatory or supervisory authority in any jurisdiction, including any member state of the European Economic Area (each, an “EEA Member”), the United Kingdom and the United States. This announcement is for information purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, an offer by or invitation by or on behalf of, Iveco Group, CNH Industrial N.V. (“CNH Industrial”), any of their advisors or any representative of Iveco Group or CNH Industrial or any of their advisors, to purchase any securities or an offer to sell or issue, or the solicitation to buy securities by any person in any jurisdiction, including any EEA Member, the United Kingdom or the United States. The approval of the Prospectus by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the “AFM”) should not be understood as an endorsement of the quality of the Shares and of Iveco Group. Potential investors should read the Prospectus before making an investment decision in order to fully understand the potential risks and rewards associated with the decision to invest in the Shares.

London, December 17, 2021

CNH Industrial (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI) announced today the publication of a presentation containing combined financial figures for the period ending December 31, 2019; December 31, 2020, and September 30, 2021 for both the Off-Highway and On-Highway businesses, in order to assist investors in understanding the impact of the Demerger.

The Off-Highway Business’s combined financial information is prepared under US GAAP and in US dollars and is unaudited. The On-Highway Business’s combined financial information is prepared under IFRS and in Euros, and figures related to September year-to-date 2021, as well as any non-IFRS financial measures, are unaudited.

The presentation is available at www.cnhindustrial.com and at www.ivecogroup.com.

CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI) is a global leader in the capital goods sector with established industrial experience, a wide range of products and a worldwide presence. Each of the individual brands belonging to the Company is a major international force in its specific industrial sector: Case IH, New Holland Agriculture and Steyr for tractors and agricultural machinery; Case and New Holland Construction for earth moving equipment; Iveco for commercial vehicles; Iveco Bus and Heuliez Bus for buses and coaches; Iveco Astra for quarry and construction vehicles; Magirus for firefighting vehicles; Iveco Defence Vehicles for defence and civil protection; and FPT Industrial for engines and transmissions. More information can be found on the corporate website: www.cnhindustrial.com

Iveco Group, after the completion of the demerger announced on November 11, 2021 (and expected to be effective on January 1, 2022), will be the parent company of the trucks and specialty vehicles, powertrain and related financial services businesses currently held by CNH Industrial. Iveco Group will therefore own and operate eight unique, yet unified commercial brands: IVECO, a pioneering champion that designs, manufactures and commercializes heavy, medium and light duty commercial vehicles; FPT Industrial, a global leader in providing its vast array of advanced powertrain technologies to customers in agriculture, construction, marine, power generation, and commercial vehicles alike; IVECO BUS and HEULIEZ, premium and mass-transit bus and coach brands; Iveco Defence Vehicles, for highly-specialized defence and civil protection equipment; ASTRA, a global expert in large scale heavy duty quarry and construction vehicles; Magirus, the industry-reputed firefighting vehicle and equipment manufacturer; and IVECO CAPITAL, the financing arm which supports them all, serving as the cornerstone of Iveco Group’s new business models. Further information about Iveco Group is available on the company’s website www.ivecogroup.com

Contacts:

Corporate Communications

Email: mediarelations@cnhind.com

Investor Relations

Email: investor.relations@cnhind.com

DISCLAIMER
This announcement does not constitute a prospectus within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017 on the prospectus to be published when securities are offered to the public or admitted to trading on a regulated market, as amended (the “Prospectus Regulation”), and shares in Iveco Group N.V. will be allotted in circumstances that do not constitute “an offer to the public” within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. This announcement is not intended for distribution in jurisdictions that require prior regulatory review and authorization to distribute an announcement of this nature.

The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which they are released, published or distributed, should inform themselves about, and observe, such restrictions.

This announcement is an advertisement and not a prospectus within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017 on the prospectus to be published when securities are offered to the public or admitted to trading on a regulated market, as amended (the “Prospectus Regulation”). With respect to the member States of the European Economic Area, no action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of the securities referred to herein requiring a publication of a prospectus in any relevant member State. As a result, the securities may not and will not be offered in any relevant member State except pursuant to a prospectus approved by the relevant market authorities in that member State or in accordance with the exemptions set forth in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Regulation, if they have been implemented in that relevant member State, or under any other circumstances which do not require the publication of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation and/or to applicable regulations of that relevant member State. This announcement is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, an offer by or invitation by or on behalf of, Iveco Group N.V., CNH Industrial, any of its advisors or any representative of Iveco Group N.V. or CNH Industrial or any of their advisors, to purchase any securities or an offer to sell or issue, or the solicitation to buy securities by any person in any jurisdiction, including any EEA Member, the United Kingdom or the United States.

The securities referred to herein may not be offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Iveco Group N.V. and CNH Industrial do not intend to register all or any portion of the offering of the securities in the United States of America or to conduct a public offering of the securities in the United States of America.

This announcement does not constitute an offer of securities to the public in the United Kingdom. This announcement is being distributed to and is directed only at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) persons who are investment professionals within the meaning of Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) and (iii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “Relevant Persons”). Any investment activity to which this announcement relates will only be available to and will only be engaged with, Relevant Persons. Any person who is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

The price and value of securities may go up as well as down. Persons needing advice should contact a professional adviser. Information in this announcement or any of the documents relating to the Admission and the Demerger cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance.

Admission to listing and to trading of Iveco Group N.V. common shares is subject to several conditions and there is therefore no guarantee that such admission and the Demerger will occur. You should not base your financial decision on this announcement. Acquiring investments to which this announcement relates may expose an investor to a significant risk of losing all of the amount invested.

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MP SPEAKS | Warisan’s peninsula expansion a ‘positive’ move

Published by
Malaysiakini (English)

MP SPEAKS | DAP views the national launch of Warisan into Peninsular Malaysia positively as part of the electoral process of free democratic participation and further integration of the regions of Sabah with Peninsular Malaysia. Warisan is following in the footsteps of Parti Bersatu Sabah to expand to the peninsular. The national expansion of Warisan will inevitably result in the party adopting a Malaysian approach instead of the present Sabah-centric one. This is positive towards national integration as well as encouraging more nationally based parties to join DAP in fighting for Sabah intere… Continue reading “MP SPEAKS | Warisan’s peninsula expansion a ‘positive’ move”