Category: General

KUALA LUMPUR, Karpowership, a Turkish operator of floating power plants, is keen on collaboration opportunities in Sabah to fulfil the state’s power needs, said its Asia commercial operations director Tolga Bayav.

He said the integration of the company’s floating power plant solutions, known as powerships, may assist in ensuring a stable and dependable power supply in the state, as well as Malaysia, which in turn would drive industrialisation while attracting foreign investments.

‘In Malaysia, Karpowership will also support economic opportunities and increase the quality of life…We are continuously exploring ways to innovate and adapt our offerings to meet the specific needs of the energy sector.

‘Our experience in ongoing projects and partnerships are aimed at not only supplying power but also enhancing the strategic energy capabilities of our clients. We are committed to investing in sustainable power technologies and building long-term relationships that support the objectives of the Malaysian govern
ment,’ he said.

He said this to Bernama when met on the sidelines of the Defence Services Asia (DSA) and National Security (NatSec) Asia 2024 exhibition here, today.

Elaborating on the what the company has to offer, Bayav said it specialises in both long-term independent power producer projects and short-to-medium-term bridge gap solutions, catering to base load, peak shaving, and mid-merit requirements.

He said the company boasts an operational fleet of 36 powerships which could deliver upwards of 6,000 megawatt capacity, alongside a floating gas infrastructure fleet.

‘With 19 successfully completed power supply contracts, we continue to expand the energy portfolio. Karpowership’s areas of operation span from powership, floating storage regasification unit, land-based and solar solutions, driving impactful change in the global energy landscape,’ he said, adding that the company is also exploring the potentials for collaboration with Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas).

Meanwhile, Bayav said the DSA 2024 p
rovides a pivotal platform for energy companies such as Karpowership to demonstrate their capabilities and advanced technological innovations in the energy sectors.

‘The response has been overwhelmingly positive. The dignitaries appreciated our efforts in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in mobile power generation,’ he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KOTA BHARU, The Kelantan Immigration Department processes around 15,000 applications from residents in the state for border passes every month, its acting director Nik Akhtarulhaq Nik Abdul Rahman said.

Most of the applications were made at the three Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complexes – Rantau Panjang, Pengkalan Kubor and Bukit Bunga – at the Malaysia-Thailand border, as well as the Urban Transformation Centres in the state, especially during public and school holidays.

‘Also, the Immigration Dept has a counter at the Kelantan Immigration Complex at Jalan Hospital here,’ he told reporters at the department’s Aidilfitri celebration here today.

The operations, which are only for border passes, started since March 17, while international passport processing has yet to begin as it was still being discussed at the higher level, he said.

Nik Akhtarulhaq expressed hope that the specific counters to process border passes at the complexes would help reduce queues and speed up applicati
ons.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has just issued a decision on adding sedge weaving craft of Kim Son District, Ninh Bình Province to the national list of intangible cultural heritage. Kim Son sedge weaving craft is a traditional craft established hundreds of years ago. The process of making sedge craft products requires workers to be meticulous and detailed in every step, from splitting to dyeing sedge. The final process is weaving and completing the products. Kim Son sedge weaving craft offers a wide range of products, including carpets, trays, mugs, caps, slippers, and bags, all with eye-catching patterns, colours and designs.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

KOTA KINABALU, The proposed amendments to the Sabah Labour Ordinance (SLO) involve 12 major changes to the 62 clauses in the ordinance which has been enforced since 1950, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

He said the SLO had been amended in 2005, and the latest proposed amendments to the ordinance involve measures to extend the SLO to all workers regardless of salary cap or type of employment, and the period of maternity leave to be increased from 60 days to 98 days.

Apart from that, he said that among the proposed amendments is for husbands to be given paternity leave for seven days for all legitimate wives but only for the first five children, and that working hours is to be reduced from 48 hours a week to 45 hours a week.

“A period of 19 years (since 2005) is a long time… A law needs to be reviewed to be improved, especially laws involving workers’ welfare and employers’ needs to conduct business,” he said here today.

“There is no doubt that more up-to-date laws can attract more foreign comp
anies to invest more confidently and comfortably in Sabah. This amendment is timely because the state government is in dire need of labour legislation that is relevant and appropriate to the current situation.”

Hajiji said this when officiating at the State-Level Workers’ Day Tripartite Celebration 2024 at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here. The event was also attended by Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad and Sabah Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya.

On May 1, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said at the national-level Labour Day 2024 celebration in Putrajaya that the amendments to the Sabah Labour Ordinance and Sarawak Labour Ordinance bills will be tabled in the next Parliament session.

Anwar is reported to have said that the amendment to the Sabah Labour Ordinance (Ordinance Cap 67) and Sarawak (Ordinance Chapter 76) is to ensure that it is in line with the Labour Act 1955 which applies in Peninsular Malaysia.

Hajiji said that the pro
posed amendments would also provide comprehensive, fair and equitable benefits to every employee and employer, even equivalent to the legislation in Peninsular Malaysia, further safeguarding the welfare of employees and ease of doing business for employers.

He said the amendments would make it easier for Malaysia, especially Sabah, to penetrate a larger market through the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) involving 11 countries, which resulted in attracting more investors and creating job opportunities for Sabahans.

Hajiji is confident that the SLO amendments will raise the image of Sabah at the international level, especially in relation to issues of human and labour rights, as well as the issues of eliminating discrimination, and eradicating forced labour and child labour.

He said the industry also needs laws that can adapt to the needs of the latest industrial revolution involving automation technologies such as the Internet of Things, Big Data, Artificial Int
elligence and Cloud Computing.

Therefore, he said the state government has high hopes that the proposed amendments can be presented at the next session of Parliament so that they can be implemented as soon as possible so that workers and employers in Sabah can enjoy the benefits.

Meanwhile, he said the state government also supports the establishment of the Sabah-level Labour Advisory Council comprising trade unions and major employers’ associations representing all workers and employers in the state.

“Whereas the government side consists of 16 state and federal government departments and agencies that play a role and are responsible for state labour issues,” he added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, Minister of Communications Fahmi Fadzil has advised netizens to always remain moderate when expressing any support or sentiment on social media posts to avoid sowing seeds of hatred.

The Unity Government spokesman said that this step should always be practised to prevent any undesirable incidents, following the recent attacks on national football players.

“I would like to give a little reminder, I hope that we, as fans of local football, do not take any action beyond the limits of the law. We want to see a good match and do not want any undesirable incidents to happen to football players,” he told a press conference here today.

Yesterday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said recent social media posts containing personal attacks on certain national football players should not be taken lightly as they could foster excessive hatred.

National footballer Faisal Halim was splashed with acid at a shopping centre in Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, on May 5 while another player Akhyar
Rashid was robbed in Kuala Terengganu on May 2.

Yesterday, former national captain Safiq Rahim escaped unhurt after two men broke his rear windscreen in Johor Bahru.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, The Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) is studying allegations against Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming with regard to his announcement of an allocation for infrastructure in Kuala Kubu Bharu (KKB) recently.

MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki said the commission will study if such an action was related to bribery or otherwise.

‘The matter will be looked at by the MACC’s complaints centre and till now no investigation papers have been opened,’ he said after the launch of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2024-2028 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), here today.

Nga was reported as saying on April 18 that his ministry has allocated RM5.21 million for public infrastructure upgrading works, which includes 14 projects worth RM4.82 million in the Chinese New Village Project in Hulu Selangor, under the supervision of the local municipal council.

The Local Government Minister made the announcement during a visit to Kuala Kubu Baru, ahead of the offi
cial campaigning period for the by-election, which started on April 27.

Speaking of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s case, the chief commissioner added that there were no immediate plans to arrest the former Prime Minister in relation to his failure to declare his assets.

‘Not yet, we have no intention of detaining him (Mahathir) …investigations are going on,’ he said.

Azam had earlier revealed that Tun Mahathir was among high profile individuals investigated by the MACC for failing to declare their assets and the MACC hasd served notices to his two sons Datuk Mirzan Mahathir and Tan Sri Mohkzani Mahathir.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, today attended the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM) MADANI Aidilfitri open house.

His Majesty was greeted upon arrival at 12.47 pm by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

Also present to welcome Sultan Ibrahim was Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali.

Sultan Ibrahim spent about an hour at the event.

Also present were Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan and Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

The event, which started at 12 noon to 2 pm, was attended by more than 5,000 guests, consisting of staff of JPM and its agencies.

Meanwhile, JPM, in a statement, said that the main purpose of hosting the event is to foster the spirit of unity, harmony and goodwill between JPM staff and the administrative management team.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency