Day: September 18, 2022

KOTA BHARU, Sept 18 (Bernama) — The government has found a lead regarding the alleged data theft of civil servant e-payslips and a statement will be made by the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) soon.

Communications and Multimedia Minister (MenKOMM) Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the government has held several meetings and discussions as it viewed the data leak and theft seriously.

“In the case of alleged data theft involving e-payslips and such, we have agreed that not many should issue statements, as we do not want to distract from current investigations.

“We have agreed that whatever updates need to be issued by NACSA and the Prime Minister’s Department, so what I can inform is that we have certain leads and action is being followed up,” he told reporters here today.

Annuar said his ministry was developing a framework to improve or curb issues of data theft as it not only occurred in Malaysia but in all countries.

“I want to state this because many misunderstand, if data theft involving personal data under the supervision of private companies, it is included under the Personal Data Protection Act, and managed under the Data Protection Department, under the Communications and Multimedia Ministry (K-KOMM).

“Data from ministerial departments and institutions are not under the Data Protection Department, but under NACSA and the Prime Minister’s Department.

“The alleged e-payslip breach is under NACSA, but CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM) under K-KOMM will provide assistance in terms of forensics investigation,” he added.

Media outlets had reported earlier about an alleged data theft incident where hackers claiming to be from a ‘grey hat’ cyber security organisation alleged that they had breached the civil servant e-payslip system to expose its weakness.

The group claimed that it could access over a million rows of identities via the database, which is in the format of JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) and comma-separated values (CSV).

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

NABAWAN, Sept 18 (Bernama) — A total of 8,330 Neighbourhood Watch Areas (KRT) has been set up nationwide to empower local communities, said National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique.

She said Sabah has the highest number of KRT after Selangor which stood at 1,069 KRT.

“There are 117 KRT in the Pensiangan parliamentary constituency involving three districts namely Keningau, Nabawan and Sook Kecil,” she said during the opening of the Semarak Uniti Keluarga Malaysia programme for the Pensiangan constituency here today.

Also present were Deputy Works Minister and Pensiangan MP Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup and Sabah Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Shahelmy Yahya.

Halimah also launched the Neighbourhood Watch Area Work Agenda (RT4ALL) involving four main key working agendas namely Safe KRT, Health KRT, Clean and Beautiful KRT and Prosperous KRT.

On Semarak Uniti Keluarga Malaysia, Halimah said the programme was hosted to support the Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) aspirations and serve as an integration platform to nurture the spirit of unity among the people.

She said she hoped the programme could be organised across the nation to reinforce unity and the spirit of goodwill among members of Keluarga Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Arthur said the number of KRTs in the constituency at 117 showed the people’s acceptance of the KRT as an agent of unity.

He said he has been working closely with the KRT, adding that within the past two years he had contributed RM70,000 to 30 KRTs in the constituency to carry out programmes and activities involving the communities.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18  (Bernama) — The Indonesian Press Council chairman, Azyumardi Azra died of a heart attack at Serdang Hospital today.

The press council is an independent body established to develop and protect the media in Indonesia.

In a statement today, the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia said the 67-year-old scholar died at 12.30 pm today after being admitted to hospital last Friday, upon arrival from the republic.

 It said that after arriving from Indonesia, the deceased was rushed to Serdang Hospital for further treatment due to shortness of breath during the flight.

“The medical team at the hospital said there was malfunction of his heart and special treatment was required at the Cardiac Care Unit,” it added.

According to the statement, the family of the deceased arrived in Malaysia yesterday and the embassy officials were now also at the hospital to make preparations for his remains.

Azyumardi had travelled to Malaysia following an invitation as a panelist for a programme in Bangi, near here, yesterday.

Meanwhile, Malaysian-Indonesian Journalists Alliance (ISWAMI) advisor, Datuk Zakaria Abdul Wahab said he rushed to Serdang Hospital on Saturday after learning from fellow Indonesian journalists that Azyumardi was in hospital

“Azyurmardi was taken to the hospital’s intensive care unit and doctors confirmed that Azyumardi was infected with COVID -19 and no visitors were allowed,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Azyurmardi was a former rector of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University for two terms (1998-2002 and 2002-2006).

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 (Bernama) — The Ministry of Transport (MOT) is issuing a special permit to allow drivers of decontrolled trucks with unloaded weight (BTM) exceeding 3,500 kilogrammes (kg) but not more than 4,000 kg, to use just a Class D driving licence.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the special permit, which is effective immediately, was following complaints and difficulties faced by traders and drivers on the issue of having a certain class of driver’s licence when driving such vehicles.

He added that it was to ease the burden and facilitate the affairs of industry players, as well as to boost economic growth through domestic businesses.

“The special permission is also aimed at helping the industry to reduce the cost of doing businesses and making it easier for the industry players to get a valid Class D licence, especially during the country’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said in a post on his official Facebook.

He hopes the special permit will help restore and boost Malaysia’s economic growth, which will benefit all Malaysians.

“It will also generate additional job opportunities and achieve the aspiration and objectives of the Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family),” he said.

Wee also reminded that a Class E licence would be needed to drive a decontrolled lorry if the BTM exceeds 4,000 kg.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KULAI, Sept 18 (Bernama) — The ringgit’s recent depreciation against the US dollar is not expected to increase the costs of several large-scale projects under the Transport Ministry.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the values of these projects have been fixed based on earlier agreements, so there is no reason for their implementation to be delayed.

“All the ongoing projects under the ministry, for example, the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) will go ahead because the price has been fixed and more than 30 per cent of the work completed.

“So any drop in currency value will not affect the overall contract; the project will continue according to schedule. A total of 1,076 project sites are in operation concurrently under the ECRL project,” he told reporters after officiating the 44th Johor MCA annual convention here today.

He said other projects, including the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) 2, MRT 3, the Gemas-JB Sentral Electrified Double-Tracking Project and the Rapid Transit System (RTS) to Singapore will continue as scheduled.

The Ayer Hitam Member of Parliament said this when asked whether the ministry will review the costs of large-scale projects or consider postponing them following the depreciation of the ringgit.

The ringgit hit a new low of 4.5340/5365 against the US dollar on Thursday.

Last Tuesday, Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz reportedly said that Malaysia is not experiencing an economic crisis despite the ringgit’s depreciation vis-a-vis the US dollar.

As for Budget 2023, Wee said his ministry has submitted its “wish list” to the Finance Ministry.

He said all ministries want a bigger allocation for next year, but this will depend on the country’s current financial capabilities.

“Not only the Transport Ministry, but other ministries have also submitted a list of their wants and needs but we have to look at the current reality, and decisions will be made based on priorities,” said Wee.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PASIR MAS, Sept 18 (Bernama) — The federal and state government have allocated nearly RM32 million to the Social Welfare Department (JKM) for flood disaster management across the country to face the northeast monsoon this year.

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff said besides that the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) has also allocated RM140,000 for JKM to implement disaster preparedness programmes nationwide.

“We are preparing a total of 6,010 temporary relief centres (PPS) including 442 in Kelantan,” she said after opening the PPS management training and simulation programme at Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi MARA, here, today.

She said, JKM has maximised supplies in eight Disaster Supply Storage Depots (DSKB), 193 state and district storage facilities and mini container depots as well as 518 forward bases.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency