Author: malaysiang

CYBERJAYA, Tourism industry operators have been urged to comply with the ASEAN Tourism Standards to raise the quality of service and promote a good tourism image for the country.

Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said there was a tendency among foreign tourists currently to not use registered tour agents due to the low quality of service of some tourism industry operators.

‘That’s why tourism industry players need to rise up and strengthen their services and establish a new initiative to attract more tourists to our country,’ he said in a speech read by his ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Roslan Abdul Rahman at the ASEAN Tourism Standards certificate presentation ceremony here today, where 107 industry players received their certificates.

Tiong also said that he had instructed that engagement sessions be held with stakeholders to overcome issues regarding the quality of tourism services in the country.

The ASEAN Tourism Standards are a set of standards by ASEAN countries to
improve service quality in the regional tourism industry in line with the ASEAN Tourism Strategy Plan 2016-2025 to make ASEAN a leading international destination.

There are nine existing standards, including the ASEAN Green Hotel Standard, the ASEAN Homestay Standard, the ASEAN Community Based Tourism Standard and the ASEAN Clean Tourist City Standard.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SIBU, The presence of thousands of visitors to witness various interesting events at the Durin Cultural Carnival 2024 has successfully boosted the economy and local tourism in Durin.

The three-day carnival, which began on April 26, is an annual event organised by the Sibu Rural District Council (MDLBS) in Durin town, which is about 43 kilometres from here.

“No less than 4,000 visitors attended the carnival’s opening day to witness the various interesting events,” said MDLBS chairman Sempurai Petrus Ngelai.

MDLBS believes that the carnival has successfully achieved its goal of making it a platform to improve and stimulate the local economy and tourism sector with the presence of visitors from Sarawak including remote control boat race participants from Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei and Indonesia.

According to him, the mini regatta event and Batang Rajang Symphony attracted thousands of visitors to the carnival site.

He added that the carnival also succeeded in uniting people of various races and
religions, and witnessed various events that had been organised in a peaceful atmosphere.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

RIYADH, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the Prime Minister, has expressed his intention to make an official visit to Malaysia by the end of this year, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Malaysian Prime Minister said this was made known by Crown Prince Mohammed during a dialogue of the Saudi Crown Prince with several world leaders, including the Prime Ministers of Egypt, Jordan and Pakistan, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Special Meeting here yesterday.

“He (Crown Prince Mohammed) said he would try to visit Malaysia by the end of this year; (date) not finalised yet,” said Anwar.

Anwar said apart from strengthening bilateral ties between Putrajaya and Riyadh, the Saudi Crown Prince also stressed that Saudi Arabia would focus on large-scale investments in Malaysia.

“I see him (Crown Prince) earnestly wanting Malaysia to be given attention, and in discussions with (Saudi) ministers and companies, the same earnestness is evident.

“I met with the Finance Minister and th
e Trade Minister (of Saudi Arabia) yesterday, and they also mentioned that the directive is clear, and we hope this can be implemented soon, depending on the readiness and speed of approval by Malaysian agencies,” he told Malaysian media at the end of his three-day working visit to Saudi Arabia here today.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, The government is currently studying amendments to the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 (Act 792) to address the challenges posed by today’s technology, including artificial intelligence (AI).

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said this initiative is essential due to the increasing use of AI for criminal purposes, such as grooming, which presents a challenge to the existing laws.

“I cannot deny that the legislation we passed in 2017 may not adequately address the challenges posed by AI. For instance, when I speak to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) or the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), one of the significant issues they face is the sale of visual materials depicting children. Previously, this occurred mainly on the dark web, but now, perpetrators are operating on the wider web.

“When we talk about grooming facilitated by AI, another challenge is the method of payment. Perpetrators o
ften use bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, making it difficult to trace who is paying for the grooming.

“With technology advancing rapidly, we need to thoroughly understand the current landscape and enact laws that can effectively address these challenges,” she told a press conference following the opening of the International Symposium on Empowerment of Children’s Commission: Strengthening Rights and Safeguarding Future, held at the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) here.

As such, Azalina said today’s symposium aims to compare and study the roles of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner (OCC ) in each respective country.

‘I want to emphasise that the OCC will not take a confrontational approach; our focus is on assessing the legal issues in our country and learning about the role of the OCC from other countries.

“This symposium is the first step for us to listen and observe how other countries address this issue, and to learn from their strengths and weaknesses,” she said.

Azalina als
o said that the government is studying the necessity of establishing OCCs at the state level to ensure more comprehensive monitoring.

“As issues related to children cannot be effectively managed solely at the central level, monitoring also needs to be conducted at the state level. However, we will proceed gradually rather than aggressively,” she added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SUNGAI PETANI, The temporary suspension of night market business operations during Maghrib, which will be enforced starting May 1 in Kedah, only involves Muslim traders, said Permanent Committee for Housing, Local Government, and Health chairman, Major (R) Mansor Zakaria.

He mentioned that the enforcement of this regulation is in line with the decision of the Kedah state government meeting held on Feb 21.

“Non-Muslim traders, especially in night markets organised around non-Muslim places of worship or during non-Muslim celebrations, are not subject to this regulation,” he said at a press conference here today.

Mansor stated that the time to cease business is 10 minutes before Maghrib and 10 to 15 minutes after the start of Maghrib.

He highlighted that the measure aims to prioritise traders, workers, and visitors to perform Maghrib prayers given the brief duration of this prayer time.

He emphasised that the authorities do not want the decision to become contentious, particularly in light of recent disp
utes arising from involving non-Muslim traders.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KLANG, The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) has asked government departments and agencies related to border control to intensify enforcement and control at the country’s entry points, to deal with the entry of cheap goats and cattle with questionable health status, ahead of the Aidiladha celebration.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said intensified control and enforcement, particularly at the northern border and the east coast of the peninsula, could help the ministry’s efforts to curb the illegal entry of livestock, which has an impact on price competition for local breeders.

‘This step is important to combat the smuggling of goats and cattle with questionable health status into the country.

‘If these livestock enter without following the legal process, it will have effects on our breeders, especially in Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perak, and for that reason, we hope that enforcement at the border will be intensified,” he said.

He said this to reporters after officiating the Agr
iculture Department’s 2024 Plant Subsector Development Symposium today.

Earlier, Mohamad launched a mobile development service facility known as the plant clinic, which provides facilities such as mini laboratories (water/soil analysis services, disease/pest diagnostics), reference materials, discussion rooms and exhibition facilities, at a symposium which lasted three days, starting yesterday.

Regarding the clinic, he said thus far, the service has been provided in four states, namely Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor, and it is expected to be expanded nationwide.

Meanwhile, the three-day symposium, which started yesterday and was held in a hybrid manner, was attended by approximately 1,000 participants, consisting of officers from the Department of Agriculture, including the Sabah and Sarawak Department of Agriculture; Grade G scheme cadre officers (agriculture) who serve in various ministries, departments and agencies; as well as farmers/entrepreneurs.

A total of six papers will be presented
by officials from various ministries, including the sharing of success by two selected entrepreneurs.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SHAH ALAM, The Selangor government, through Selangor Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI), has allocated RM3 million for the Muassasah Hajj Incentive for this year’s hajj season.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said a total of 6,000 prospective hajj pilgrims in the state will receive the benefit of RM500 per person, through the incentive.

He said that since it was implemented in 2022, a total of 6,000 muassasah pilgrims have received the assistance, namely 3,000 pilgrims in 2022, and another 3,000 in 2023.

‘For this year, the number of prospective pilgrims to receive assistance, and the amount allocated, is double compared with last year,’ he said in a statement today.

Amirudin said that applications for the incentives, implemented through collaboration with the community service centre of the state constituency, the state constituency coordinating office and the MBI, will be open from May 6 to Aug 23.

‘To facilitate the registration process, prospective pilgrims can apply at their respective state
constituency community service centres, by bringing a printed copy of the 2024 Hajj Muassasah flight schedule with the display of the MUAS CODE,’ he said.

He hopes that the incentive will facilitate travel arrangements for prospective hajj pilgrims this year.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency