Day: March 6, 2023

PUTRAJAYA, March 6 (Bernama) — Inisiatif Pendapatan Rakyat (IPR) and Menu Rahmah are among the government’s strategic steps to beat food-outside-the-home inflation component, said Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli.

The minister said inflation for food outside the home had improved slightly from 9.6 per cent in December 2022 to 9.3 per cent in January 2023.

“Although for me, the 9.3 per cent in January 2023 is still high, however this is the first time the inflation rate for prepared meals have dropped.

“Meals away from home were driving prices of goods and the inflation rate over the last five to six months, and this is why we are focusing on the Menu Rahmah and IPR,” he said at a press conference on the publication of the January 2023 Consumer Price Index here today.

Rafizi said the government’s steps to implement the two initiatives were intended to influence prepared food prices at the store level, where there would be a balance between consumer demand and the prices set by traders when meals were priced between RM2 and RM5.

“When more food is sold at lower prices, whether through Menu Rahmah or IPR, there will be competition to alleviate the increase in prices of prepared food and food away from home in the upcoming months to help the government curb inflation,” he said.

Rafizi said 22,319 individuals had registered to participate in the IPR since its launch on Feb 26 and illustrated that the initiative had received encouraging response.

He said 52 per cent of those registered were for the Food Entrepreneur Initiative (Insan), followed by the Agro Entrepreneur Initiative (Intan) at 29 per cent and Services Operator Initiative (Ikhsan) at 19 per cent with Selangor, Johor and Perak registering the most participants.

The minister added that 376 agencies and companies had registered to be off-takers who are prepared to purchase the products from the participants of the IPR programme.

“We were aiming for 100,000 participants within a year, and since we achieved this in a week, this is an encouraging sign for my ministry that we are able to implement this (initiative) widely and successfully.

“If within a week, we have 376 companies offering to place their vending machines or buy the farm products of participants, we hope that the off-takers community under the IPR will be able to grow since the biggest challenge is to find buyers,” he said.

Rafizi said the Economy Ministry would also focus on facilitating discussions between stakeholders such as the state governments and people’s representatives, including members of the opposition, in the 20 poorest districts in Malaysia to expand the IPR.

Among these 20 poorest districts in Malaysia are Tongod, Pitas, Kota Marudu, Beluran, Telupid, Pusa, Nabawan and Kota Belud in Sabah; Jeli, Kuala Krai, Gua Musang and Bachok in Kelantan; and Besut, Marang, Hulu Terengganu, Machang and Dungun in Terengganu, he said.

Rafizi said his ministry would be launching the first IPR Intan venue as early as the first week of April, involving 20 participants on 10 acres in Putrajaya.

The government is targeting for IPR participants to generate a monthly income of RM2,000 so that they can rise above the poverty line.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

ALOR SETAR, 6 March (Bernama) — The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), through its agency the Northern Region National Science Centre (PSNCWU), is committed to ensuring that the field of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) continues to be of interest to the public.

Its Deputy Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said the National Science Centre (PSN) and its branches are actively implementing infrastructure improvements and programmes so that STI-related exhibitions continue to be well-received by visitors.

“PSNCWU is committed to fostering and cultivating the field of Science, Technology and Innovation to attract the interest of the young generation so that the country does not lack a new generation who will pioneer the field of STI,” he said in a statement today.

He said that for 2022 the PSNCWU recorded the highest number of visitors, which was 194,263.

“The affordable ticket price, of RM2 for adults and RM1 for children aged seven to 12, and free entry for children aged six and below, can attract visitors from the northern part of Perak, Penang, Kedah and Perlis to come here,” he said.

Yesterday, he visited PSNCWU to review the progress of the development of the latest exhibition, which is the largest interactive Children’s Science Exhibition Gallery in the northern region (Bahtera Langkasuka), near here.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 (Bernama) — Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah are celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary today.

A message was uploaded on Istana Negara Facebook today to congratulate Their Majesties in conjunction with their anniversary.

The Facebook post was accompanied by 10 photographs of the royal couple spending time together at a golf game, fishing and at official functions.

Netizens also posted their wishes to Their Majesties on Facebook, offering prayers for their continued happiness.

Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Hajah Azizah were married on March 6, 1986 at Abu Bakar Mosque, in Johor Bahru.

They are blessed with five daughters and four sons.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PETALING JAYA, March 6 (Bernama) — Batik Air Malaysia contributed 3,000 blankets to flood victims in Johor.

The contribution was handed over by group strategy director of Lion Group Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy to the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) at the Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Subang, here today.

The handing over ceremony was witnessed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid who is also Central Disaster Management Committee chairman thanked Batik Air for donating the plane blankets.

”The private sector plays a role in helping the country as a whole in good times and bad times. I would like to thank Datuk Chandran, the private sector and all parties and hope that this assistance will be an example for other private sector,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chandran said the company took the initiative to contribute after he learned about the insufficient supply of blankets for flood victims at the relief centres in the state.

“We will do our best to help flood victims in stages,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 (Bernama) — Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, expressed their condolences to the family of former national golfer M.Ramayah who died today.

In a post on Istana Negara Facebook, Their Majesties expressed sadness over his passing and hoped that his family would remain patient and resolute in this moment of grief.

“His passing is a great loss for the local golfing community. During his heyday, Ramayah played in 13 World Cup tournaments,” the post read.

“The deceased who turned professional when he was 18, had also contributed to the development of the sport in the country and was a sought- after coach, “ it added.

Ramayah died at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM (HCTM) in Cheras, this morning. He was 67.

His demise was confirmed by the National Athletes Welfare Foundation (YAKEB) chairman Datuk Noorul Ariffin Abdul Majeed when contacted by Bernama.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 (Bernama) — The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) has planned to make it compulsory for every umrah agency to prepare an agreement with prospective pilgrims, in an effort to protect consumer rights.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said the agreement, among other things, will state the terms and conditions, the schedule and the package offered, as well as provisions on damages in the event of misconduct either by the umrah agency or pilgrims.

“It is in line with Regulation 6(1A)(d) under the Tourism Industry Act 1992 (Act 482),” he said in his reply to a question from Hassan Abdul Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang) regarding the measures taken by the government to address the increase in the cost of performing umrah in Saudi Arabia, during an oral and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

Tiong also said that MOTAC views the issue of the increase in the cost of umrah seriously, as it involves the cost of accommodation, logistics and flight tickets, which is alleged to have occurred due to high demand from pilgrims around the world.

He said MOTAC held a meeting with the Foreign Ministry, the Transport Ministry; the Department of Waqf, Zakat and Hajj (JAHWAR); the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM); the Malaysia Competition Commission (MYCC); Malaysia Airlines Berhad and AMAL by Malaysia Airlines, on Jan 31.

The meeting was also attended by representatives of the umrah operator associations, namely the Malaysian Bumiputera Association of Tour and Travel Agents (BUMITRA), the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) and the Malaysian Umrah and Hajj Travel Agency Association (PAPUH).

“Based on the meeting, MOTAC, the Transport Ministry and AMAL by Malaysia Airlines will hold further discussions, to identify a strategy to standardise the distribution of air ticket sales to minimise the increase in the cost of umrah flight,” he said.

He said that this, indirectly, will give space to umrah agencies to get more competitive flight ticket prices to be offered to umrah pilgrims.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 (Bernama) — Several new initiatives to resolve the congestion issue at the Johor Causeway will be brought to the Cabinet for endorsement, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

He said the Special Committee Tackling the Johor Causeway Congestion had studied and agreed to the implementation of these new initiatives, which would involve a total cost of RM64.2 million.

Among the new initiatives discussed are consolidation of the Bus Passenger Hall at Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar in Gelang Patah costing about RM25 million; upgrading of New Lorry Inspection Counter at Lorry Entry Zone and MAQIS Inspection Bay at an estimated cost of RM30.6 million; and building of new public toilets costing about RM8.6 million.

“Based on the projection of a surge in travellers by up to 17.2 per cent every year, a review of posts should be made to strike a balance between the workload of officers and this uptrend,” he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the committee at Parliament Building today.

Fadillah said the meeting also agreed to the proposed creation of the Single Entry Point at the Malaysia-Singapore border, and this proposal would be further fine-tuned by the Home Ministry and other related ministries and agencies before it was brought to the Cabinet.

“If agreed, a technical committee will then be formed to discuss the feasibility of its implementation with Singapore, because it involves legal amendments and requires the agreement and cooperation of Singapore,” he said.

Fadillah said the meeting was also updated on the status of the proposed setting up of the Single Border Agency (SBA) as a long-term initiative to increase management efficiency at the country’s entry points.

“The government expects SBA to be implemented in stages beginning January 2024,” he said.

He said SBA would provide for more coordinated management, more efficient enforcement and control as well as enhanced integrity in management at entry points.

On the implementation of 23 existing initiatives at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Immigration, Customs and Quarantine (ICQ) Complex and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar, he said it had achieved 62 per cent completion.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency