Day: January 15, 2023

KULAI, Jan 15 (Bernama) — The government received 63,000 appeals to get devices under the PerantiSiswa Programme when the deadline for appeals closed on Dec 31 last year.

Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Teo Nie Ching said of the appeals, 25,000 have been approved so far.

“The rest are still being evaluated by the respective institutions of higher learning (IPT). They will verify whether the appellants are from B40 (lower income bracket) families.

“The Communications and Digital Ministry (KKD) is the leading body (of the porgramme), whereby we do the distribution (of the devices). Whether the applications are approved or not, we have to wait for confirmation from the institutions,” she told reporters at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tunku Abdullah Rahman Putra, here, today.

Earlier, she had presented devices under the programme to PerantiSiswa recipients from 13 IPTs and several schools in the Kulai parliamentary constituency.

Teo, who is also the Member of Parliament for Kulai, said a total of 301,737 tablets or 83 per cent of the 362,016 applications approved, had been distributed to date.

“For the state of Johor, a total of 29,461 applications have been approved and of that number, 23,435 units have been distributed to eligible students,” she said.

On whether the ministry had received reports on selling of the devices, Teo said the last time it received such reports was in November.

“The last time KKD, then (known as) KKOM, received reports about selling (of the devices) was last November involving 13 cases. Since then, no cases have been reported, we hope there will be no more,” she said.

Asked if the PerantiSiswa Programme will continue this year, Teo said: “I cannot comment on that because we have to wait for the (government’s) decision, the announcement by the Minister of Finance (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) when he tables the 2023 Budget in Parliament next month.

The PerantiSiswa Programme is a government programme that aims to help the learning process of IPT students who are in the B40 group.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

JERTIH, Jan 15 (Bernama) — Students from Sultan Zainal Abidin University (UniSZA) have come up with nine new food products that are based on protein from plants and sardines.

UNISZA Dean of Faculty of BioResources and Food Industry, Prof. Dr. Hafizan Juahir said the products were produced by a group of final year students taking a bachelor’s degree in food technology.

“The nine products are alternative food to replace meat or chicken-based foods that are commonly available in the market.

“One of them is Veganic Patty’, which is a burger filling that tastes like meat, but is made from 100 percent vegetables, namely oyster mushrooms and soybeans,” she said when met after the launch of the food products at UniSZA Besut Campus here. today.

Another product, she said, is sausage made from fish that can be eaten without having to be fried or boiled.

According to Hafizan, the sausage also does not need to be kept in the refrigerator and can last up to two years, even if it is stored at normal room temperature.

“Sausages like that are available in the market, but they are imported and most of them are meat or chicken flavoured,” she said.

She said the university is working to provide financial assistance to graduates from the faculty intending to become food entrepreneurs.

“UniSZA is also prepared to provide facilities available in the faculty such as laboratories to facilitate them to conduct research to produce quality products,” she added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA PILAH, Jan 15 (Bernama) — The Negeri Sembilan Forestry Department (JPNS) is committed to increasing the total area of permanent reserve forest (HSK) in the state by another 500 hectares, to preserve and conserve the quality of the environment and thus boost the state’s ecotourism.

Its director, Saleh Awaluddin said currently the HSK covers 155,000 hectares, or 23 per cent of the entire state, and of that, 60 per cent is timber production forest and the remainder is protected forest, including water catchments, wildlife, and research.

“This is one of the efforts we have to take, to look after the existing forest areas and how to ensure that it remains, apart from trying to increase it, even if it’s a little but that’s the best. The same goes for the mangrove forest which is seen to be decreasing now.

“We have identified the areas involved, including the water catchment area and around the dam, but we are now in the process of gazetting them, which is not an easy matter and takes a bit of time,” he told reporters after the reopening of Taman Eko Rimba and the HSK hiking track here today.

He said Taman Eko Rimba and hiking tracks in the state had started to reopen to the public, effective yesterday, including Ulu Bendul, Batu Maloi, Jeram Tengkek, Gunung Datuk, Gunung Angsi and Gunung Tampin.

Meanwhile, he said that repair work on the facilities of Taman Eko Rimba Jeram Toi, Jelebu, which were destroyed in a major flood in Dec 2021, is expected to start in March and be completed this November, through an allocation of RM1 million from the state government.

“However, it will only be reopened next year, because we want to make sure it is really safe. We don’t want that, in the enthusiasm of the tourism industry in the state with people starting to visit certain locations, we put aside the safety aspects and dangers that may occur,” he said.

Almost the entire Taman Eko Rimba Jeram Toi area, including facilities such as offices, prayer hall and toilets, were destroyed in the flood, and the structure of Sungai Toi has also widened with the water no longer clear due to the flood, so that the repair work in the area had to be postponed.

Saleh also said that JPNS is targeting the overall revenue collection, including through permits to enter HSK, and rentals amounting to RM10 million this year, compared with RM8 million collected last year.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

GUA MUSANG, Jan 15 (Bernama) — Over 500 residents of Kampung Brooke Lama, Pos Brooke, here, are asking the relevant authorities to replace a dilapidated 15-year-old suspension bridge in their village.

Penghulu (village headsman) Rian Bujang, 48, said the bridge is used by motorcyclists and pedestrians to cross Sungai Belatop to run errands as well as to send their children to school at Sekolah Kebangsaan Brooke.

He said they had previously requested that the bridge be repaired and upgraded, but nothing had been done.

“We don’t care whether it is concrete or a similar bridge like this, so long as it is safe to be used by the residents,” he said when met by reporters at Kampung Brooke Lama, here, today.

According to another resident, Along Ronggeng, 59, the iron bridge was built in 2008, and is used by hundreds of villagers, including school students, daily.

He said that residents are risking their lives when they use this bridge because they have to dodge motorcyclists.

“Several parts of the fencing and flooring are damaged and almost ripped off, forcing us to walk carefully, especially in the early mornings when taking our children to school.

“If there is any damage or part ripped off, we are unable to see because of the dark conditions (early mornings),” he said.

Meanwhile, Galas state assemblyman, Mohd Syahbuddin Hashim, said that his team will look into the residents’ complaints and needs and will await the response of the relevant parties regarding the status of the application.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUCHING, Jan 15 (Bernama) –The status of Sarawak and Sabah as regions n Malaysia has not yet been gazetted, with the matter to be discussed during the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) meeting between the federal government and Sarawak, scheduled on Jan 19.

Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the change in the status of the two states as regions was still at the proposal stage.

“The matter has not been gazetted. It is still a proposal. Indeed, since the beginning, we (Sabah and Sarawak) should have the status as regions, but the situation has changed…that is why we amended the Federal Constitution,” he told reporters at the Kuching Car Free Day Programme here today.

He said the Sabah and Sarawak’s status as regions would be discussed at the coming MA63 meeting.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to be in Sarawak on Jan 18 and 19 for a two-day working visit.

Last Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also UMNO president, in his policy speech at the party’s general assembly, said Sabah and Sarawak have been accorded the status of region and are no longer regarded as states within Malaysia, but did not say when it came into effect

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 15 (Bernama) — Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir will host his counterpart from Singapore, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan who will be on a four-day official visit to Malaysia from Sunday (Jan 15) until Wednesday (Jan 18).

According to Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra)’s statement, it will be the first ministerial-level visit to be received by Zambry since assuming office on Dec 2 last year.

“The visit is part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen existing close ties between Malaysia and Singapore.

“The visit by His Excellency Dr Vivian Balakrishnan will provide an excellent opportunity for Malaysia and Singapore to further strengthen the longstanding relations and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries,” said the statement.

During the visit, both ministers are scheduled to meet and exchange views on broad-ranging issues of common interest.

Balakrishnan is also scheduled to have an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

According to Bernama’s report on Saturday based on Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)’s statement, Balakrishnan is also scheduled to call on Minister of Transport Anthony Loke, Minister of Economy Rafizi Ramli, Minister of Defence Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, and Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, as well as other Malaysian politicians and personalities.

The report said Balakrishnan will be accompanied by officials from the republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, added MFA.

In 2022, Singapore was Malaysia’s second-largest trading partner and the largest within ASEAN with total trade amounting to RM336.73 billion (US$76.40 billion), an increase of 30.8 per cent, compared to the recorded value in 2021.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 (Bernama) — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has extended Ponggal greetings to the Tamil community in Malaysia, celebrating the festival today.

In a post on his Facebook page, Anwar hopes that the festival will bring prosperity and health to everyone.

“The Tamil community celebrates the Ponggal festival as a sign of gratitude for increased sustenance.

“In addition, this auspicious day for the Hindu is also a symbol and a catalyst to reject old practices or attitudes and promote change and create a new shift,” he said.

The Tamil community celebrates the arrival of the Ponggal harvest festival in the 10th month of the Tamil calendar known as Thai, and it is an important festival, especially for the farming community.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency