Day: August 15, 2022

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) — The government has always prioritised the interests of women as they have contributed immensely to the country’s development, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.

The prime minister said womenfolk’s contributions must not only be respected but should also be given due recognition.

He said this was evident when the government last year agreed to establish the National Women’s Council (MWN), the National Women’s Executive Committee (JEWN) and state women’s working committees (JKWNi) to empower women’s roles at the federal and state levels.

“Recently the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill 2021 was passed at the Dewan Negara to be enforced in stages.

“Under this government, the bill was passed to not only protect womenfolk, but also men from sexual harassment,” he said in his speech during a high-tea event with Malaysian women media practitioners organised by the Malaysian Women Journalists Association (PERTAMA) here today.

Also present were Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun, Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, Bernama chairman Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi and PERTAMA president Sariha Mohd Ali.

In addition, Ismail Sabri said the Securities Commission has also amended its listing requirement to make it mandatory for all public-listed companies to appoint at least one female director.

The prime minister said beginning Sept 1, all major companies with market capitalisation of RM2 million (as of Dec 31, 2021) will implement this requirement, while for other companies this will be enforced on June 1, 2023.

“I had previously instructed that there is at least 30 percent of women board members in government-linked companies (GLC) and government-linked investment companies (GLIC) before their annual general meetings are held in 2023.

To date, as many as 210 out of 900 sendirian berhad (private limited) companies have more than 30 percent women sitting on their board of directors, he added.

On women media practitioners, Ismail Sabri said the group played an important role and the government need their support to disseminate accurate information to the people.

At the event, the prime minister approved a fund of RM300,000 for PERTAMA activities and hoped that the association will help the government enhance the level of professionalism in national journalism.

“I am sure that there are many other big names among womenfolk in various fields in this country who have been journalists and the success of PERTAMA in helping to produce people of such caliber is an outstanding feat,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) — A former managing director of a shipping company will be charged in the Sessions Court, here tomorrow (Aug 16), in relation to the construction of the Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).

According to a source, the man will be charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust under Section 409 of the Penal Code.

Based on a check of the court system, the case will be heard before Judge Suzana Hussin, at 9 am.

The media invitation issued by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), late this afternoon, also gave information about the charges against the man tomorrow.

On Aug 4, the Public Accounts Committee disclosed that not a single ship had been completed, even though the project contract, worth RM6.083 billion, stipulated that five of the six ships should be completed and delivered by August 2022.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 15 (Bernama) — The decision to lift the current export ban on chicken and the setting of new ceiling prices for chicken and eggs will only be finalised after the relevant ministries and agencies submit detailed reports on the status of the supply and demand to the Special Task Force on Jihad Against Inflation.

Taskforce chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa said those responsible, including the Veterinary Services Department (DVS) and the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), are given a week to present their findings to the committee.

Although many poultry breeders have requested the ban be lifted following high demand from Singapore, Annuar asked all parties to be patient and allow the taskforce to assess the findings to ensure everything was under control.

“Whether to export or not, and whether the current subsidy mechanism will continue, these will only be decided after the submission of detailed reports.

“We take the approach that everything must be based on the latest data findings, and a clear formula on the real local demand and the quantity to be exported should the ban be lifted.

“There is no need for any speculation at this time as we will look at data and methods that will not burden the public,” he said during a media conference after chairing the taskforce meeting here today.

Annuar said the new price of chickens and eggs after Aug 31 will include input from the DVS and DOSM, including the availability of imported chicken, chicken produced locally and the quantum of chicken that could be re-exported.

He revealed that DOSM has been tasked with making a computation based on field studies regarding the actual production cost for every chicken produced in the country.

“That figure is important for the taskforce to determine a reasonable ceiling price to ensure we can control prices effectively and to be fair to poultry breeders who are susceptible to pressures of production costs, especially those related to imported products such as feed,” he said.

The DVS, meanwhile, was asked to determine the relationship between the supply of imported chicken, imported chicken kept as buffer stocks and imported chicken in the market, taking into consideration the price of chicken produced in the market to determine total existing stocks at any one time and the total needed for export, he added.

“Once these figures are presented to the taskforce, then we can decide whether to review the chicken export ban and allowing the importation of chicken without approved permits (AP) as announced previously,” he said.

On July 29, Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee was reported to have said that the government will review the ceiling retail price of standard chickens and the chicken export ban following the end of the implementation of the ceiling price of RM9.40 per kilogramme of chicken in Peninsular Malaysia on Aug 31.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency