Day: April 26, 2022

PUTRAJAYA, April 26 (Bernama) –The federal government and the Pahang government today signed a Supplementary Agreement, which is supplemental to the main agreement on the Restructuring of the Pahang Water Service Industry.

The signing of the supplementary agreement, which involved the federal government, Pahang government, Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd (PAAB) and Pengurusan Air Pahang Bhd (PAIP), was held here and witnessed by Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Datuk Mansor. Othman.

It was signed by the Environment and Water Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Ir Dr Zaini Ujang, Pahang State Secretary Datuk Seri Dr Sallehuddin Ishak, PAAB Chief Executive Officer Abdul Hadi Ali and PAIP chief executive officer Saiful Zaini Mohd Bahari.

Wan Rosdy and Mansor, in a joint statement issued in conjunction with the ceremony, said the signing of the supplementary agreement would enable the main agreement that signed in Kuantan, Pahang, on Dec 23, 2020, to be enforced and the restructuring of the Pahang water services industry to be enforced.

Among the essence of the supplementary agreement is on the granting of a moratorium to PAIP starting from the increase in water tariff and for a 45-year loan period given to PAAB, including a five-year loan deferral period effective from the implementation date on the increase in water tariff in Pahang.

“The restructuring of the Pahang water service industry does not have direct financial implications for the Federal government and the agreement to write off the rural water supply loan to Pahang amounting to RM1 billion is still binding,” it said.

It also stated that PAIP would also get access to PAAB loan facilities for the development of water assets in Pahang based on a build and lease approach at a competitive rate compared to commercial financing.

“This enables PAIP to start improving the efficiency and quality of water services to consumers with the construction of new water treatment plants, upgrading of existing water treatment plants as well as the replacement of pipes and distribution systems,” read the statement.

The joint statement also stated that the agreement between the federal and state governments on the restructuring of the water service industry in Pahang would have a high positive impact on economic development and also the well -being of the people in Pahang.

“The commitment of all parties in ensuring the provision of high quality water supply services is in line with the Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) approach of togetherness and inclusiveness,” it stated.

On Dec 23, 2020, Environment and Water Minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man was reported as saying that the federal government had agreed to write off loans to the Pahang government, amounting to RM2.1 billion, through the Pahang Water Service Industry Restructuring Agreement.

According to Tuan Ibrahim, it involved a rural water supply loan amounting to RM1 billion, while the balance is the novation of the state government’s loan to PAAB to develop water assets in Pahang through a build and lease approach to PAIP.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) — All the flood control system infrastructures under the Federal Territory Irrigation and Drainage Department (JPSWPKL) are operating well and in accordance with standard operating procedures (SOP), says the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) director-general Datuk Ir Dr Md Nasir Md Noh.

In a statement today, he said the SMART Mode 2 diversion was activated at 3.40 pm yesterday while the Keroh diversion and Gombak diversion were activated at 3.50 pm and 4.12 pm, respectively.

However, he said the drainage system including road drainage could not cope with the heavy rainfall measuring about 120 mm within two hours yesterday, due to the high river water levels.

He said the water levels of Sungai Gombak at Jalan Tun Razak Station and Sungai Batu in Sentul were reported to have exceeded the danger levels of 32.45m and 34.03m respectively.

“The continuous heavy rain on April 25, 2022, which began at 2.45 pm had caused flash floods on the main roads of Kuala Lumpur City Center.

“The roads affected were Jalan Kuching, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, Jalan Semantan, Jalan Segambut, Segambut short cut, Jalan Kinabalu (Bulatan Merdeka), Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah, Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar, Jalan Travers, Dato Onn Roundabout, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar and Jalan Merdeka,” he said.

He said the flash floods had caused traffic congestion and damaged several vehicles stuck on the main roads, and it was estimated that more than 50 houses in Jalan Kassipilay, Jalan Batu Bata, Segambut Bahagia and Segambut Dalam were flooded to a depth of up to 0.3m.

Md Nasir also advised residents in low-lying areas to remain careful and vigilant during heavy rains.

“People are also urged to be alert of the flood warning sirens. If heavy rain and high tide occur at the same time, residents must be prepared to move to a safe place and comply with the instructions of the authorities,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KANGAR, April 26 (Bernama) — The number of dengue fever cases is expected to increase after this festive season following the movement of people especially from areas with a high incidence of dengue cases.

State Health Department (JKNP) director Dr Sirajudin Hashim this was the usual trend as seen from the data on dengue fever cases in Malaysia, including in Perlis, which reported an increase in cases after each festive season or long holidays.

Perlis recorded seven cases of dengue fever for the period Jan 1 to April 23, as compared to four cases in the corresponding period last year.

“JKNP urge the community to take precautionary measures to stop the spread of dengue by getting rid of possible breeding grounds for mosquitoes such as lemang bamboo stems, cookie containers, used bottles or cans,” he said in a statement.

He also advised the public to avoid going out or making visits from 5am to 7am and 5pm to 7pm when the Aedes mosquitoes are most active and to put larvicide in water vessels left unattended for over a week.

More information on dengue fever cases or dengue outbreak localities can be obtained from the iDengue mobile application (https://idengue.mysa.gov.my/) or from the Perlis State Health Department Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/jknperlis/) and the Ministry of Health Malaysia website ( https://www.infosihat.gov.my/).

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PETALING JAYA, April 26 (Bernama) — A total of 204,927 visitors from Singapore entered the country through the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) in Iskandar Puteri, Johor since the reopening of the country’s border on April 1.

Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the gradual increase in the arrivals has given a ray of hope to the country’s tourism sector, showing that the sector is on the path to a positive recovery.

“Singapore tourists are expected to increase with the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration. They want to visit relatives in Malaysia and it is good news for the Malaysian economy,” she said in a press conference today.

Nancy said this after launching the MyMOTAC Community Ambassador programme, an initiative under the Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) Community Ambassador programme that was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on March 25.

Nancy said the MyMOTAC Community Ambassador programme is aimed at encouraging the public to adhere to standard operating procedures (SOPs) as well as ensure the communities cultivate self-discipline in the country’s transition to endemic phase such as wearing face masks, observing the physical distancing rule and checking in premises using the MySejahtera application.

She said the first phase of the programme will focus on high-risk tourism spots during festive holidays and school holidays such as zoos, shopping malls, theme parks, hotels, museums and so on, adding that the ministry will mobilise all its state offices as well as tourism, art and culture industry players to implement the programme from today until Sept 30.

According to Nancy the ambassadors will be wearing an armband as an identification to the public and will volunteer to be on duty at high-risk locations namely crowded and enclosed venues.

“The ministry is always ready to expand the Community Ambassador programme to other subsectors under the tourism, arts and culture sector according to suitability and needs from time to time,” she added.

Nancy also presented the MyMOTAC Community Ambassador appointment certificates to representatives of shopping malls, theme parks, convention centres, hotels, the Taiping and Melaka zoos as well as museums and Istana Budaya.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) — PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) is advising the public to carry out meticulous preparations as travel time on the expressway is expected to be longer especially this Saturday and Sunday as well as on May 7 and 8.

PLUS managing director, Datuk Azman Ismail said this was because many expressway users are expected to grab the opportunity to enjoy free toll travel and would schedule their journeys back to their hometowns and return to the capital based on the toll-free dates.

“To handle the spike in traffic following the free toll announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday, PLUS also states its commitment to take all reasonable measures to help the public with the surge in traffic during the four days.

“PLUS will take appropriate measures and we have arranged various detailed preparations involving aspects of travel on the expressway, at the toll plazas and also rest areas,” he said in a statement today.

Yesterday, the prime minister announced that the government had agreed to provide free toll and toll discounts to the Malaysian Family in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

The free toll would be given this Saturday and Sunday, as well as on May 7 and 8 for the return journeys involving PLUS Malaysia Berhad Group (PLUS) expressway connecting the North-South Expressway network and Anih Berhad (ANIH) which operates the East Coast Highway (LPT).

The free toll would start at 12 midnight on April 30 until 11.59 pm on May 1 to all classes of vehicles while for journeys on May 7, toll-free travel will start from 12 midnight until 11.59 pm on May 8.

In addition, a discount of between 30 and 50 per cent would also be given to other highways on the same dates and times to all classes of vehicles.

In the meantime, PLUS explained that free toll was implemented along its expressway network which used the closed toll system and would be enjoyed when the consumers passed through the exit toll plaza during the period specified.

To enable PLUS to record the traffic data, users who opt to use Touch ‘n Go card must still touch their cards at the toll lane but no toll payment would be imposed or deducted from the card.

“Meanwhile, consumers who choose to use RFID too need to ensure they enter and exit the expressway by only using the RFID lane, and like the Touch ‘n Go card and SmarTAG, no toll payment will be imposed or deducted from their eWallet.

“Touch ‘n Go card users are advised to check the status of the card before their journey with Touch ‘n GO Sdn Bhd at http://tngportal.touchngo.com.my/tngPortal/login.

“This is to avoid being stranded in the toll lane which will cause congestion by using Touch ‘n Go cards which are not active or have been deactivated,” said the statement.

In addition, Azman also advised the public to follow the Travel Time Advisory (TTA) schedule which had been issued prior to this and to plan their journey carefully.

He said that this is to reduce congestion and for a smoother drive and they should also stop rest to refresh when necessary.

It was also recommended that expressway customers download the PLUS application to review the latest traffic conditions on the expressway via the CCTV displays provided.

They are also encouraged to use Waze or GoogleMap to plan their journey throughout the festive season.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) — Affin Hwang Investment Bank Bhd today channelled zakat (tithe) amounting to RM350,000 to the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF)’s Family Welfare Body (Bakat).

Its chief executive officer Mona Suraya Kamaruddin said the contribution was a sign of the bank’s support to Bakat to empower its members to realise the family economic development aspirations.

“Bakat is one of our targets for community development initiatives that are being implemented by the bank during the month of Ramadan,” she told reporters after presenting the tithe contribution at the Dewan Mulia, Ministry of Defence today.

Meanwhile, the chairperson of the Bakat Supreme Council Tengku Puteri Seri Teja Puan Sri Tengku Muhaini Sultan Ahmad Shah, who officiated the event, said the contribution would be used to help Bakat to implement various training programmes.

To date, Bakat has provided training to its members with the implementation of the Bina Bakat programme through the e-BAKAT digital platform which is able to help generate income, especially for the B40 group.

Also held was the Khatam Quran ceremony which was attended by 100 Bakat members.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

NILAI, April 26 (Bernama) — The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) is probing the allegations that there has been political interference in the issue of cartel operations in the poultry industry.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said a detailed report was needed to determine the validity of the allegation.

“This needs a thorough investigation and we cannot be too quick to say that there are cartels (in the industry).

“I did not rule out nor confirm this (claim), it’s better to wait for the MyCC report. This does not only involve this ministry but other ministries as well because it is related to supplies and so on,” he told reporters here today.

Earlier, he launched the implementation of the Aidilfitri Festive Season Maximum Price Control Scheme (SHMMP) and the Jualan Malaysia Rancak Aidilfitri programme at AEON Mall Nilai.

A local newspaper today reported that cartels continued to dominate the poultry industry due to political interference.

The report also revealed that cartels dominated the daily market with 1.5 million chickens, which is 70 per cent of the total 2.2 million chickens sold nationwide every day.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency