Category: General

PETALING JAYA, March 30 (Bernama) — RYTHM Foundation (RYTHM) and PINTAR Foundation (PINTAR) have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to empower B40 female students by implementing the Maharani Schools Programme (MSP) in national secondary schools.

The MoU took place via a virtual signing ceremony between RYTHM Chairperson Datin Sri Umayal Eswaran and PINTAR Board of Trustees member Datuk Dr Mary Yap Kain Ching, according to a statement issued here today.

MSP is the extension of the Maharani Programme which provides adolescent girls access to education opportunities, skills development and personal growth, realising their potential to rise above their cycle of poverty and take charge of their lives.

“This is what our programme was designed to do. We look at girls and young women from marginalised communities and enhance their education experience by giving them the tools to develop into con?dent, responsible women,” said Umayal.

Yap, meanwhile, also expects the programme to bring success while highlighting that women’s empowerment is essential to achieving gender equality.

“My message to all the girls and women in Malaysia is you are capable, valuable and powerful and you deserve every opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your dreams,” she said.

About 40 students were chosen for this programme and they are from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Gombak Setia in Gombak, SMK Bandar Rinching in Hulu Langat and SMK Batu Unjur, SMK Tengku Idris Shah and SMK Tengku Ampuan Jemaah, all in Klang.

The students will be coached for a period of four years.

The MSP incorporates modules that focus on gender equality, sexual and reproductive health, ethnicity and culture, physical and spiritual wellness, academic support, counselling as well as career guidance by 20 trainers from PINTAR, with the trainers themselves coached by RYTHM.

Since 2010, the Maharani programme has touched the lives of nearly 8,000 adolescent girls and young women from various schools across Malaysia.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 (Bernama) — The Selangor Zakat Board (LZS) has launched the Baitus Salam Integrated Module to guide instructors at Baitus Salam to deliver more comprehensive Islamic teachings, especially to the ‘mualaf’ (reverts) at the shelter.

Baitus Salam Advisory Committee chairman Assoc Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Farid Ravi Abdullah said the integrated module covered four aspects, namely knowledge development, self-management, leadership and skills for a career.

“It is hoped that the Baitus Salam Integrated Module will be able to produce quality reverts in terms of knowledge, experience and personalities in the future.

“We also provide fard ain (obligations) guidance including vocational knowledge to reverts for a better socio-economy status besides restructuring the direction of reverts in terms of emotional and social,” he said, who is also the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) mualaf affairs committee.

He said this to reporters after launching the integrated module at a hotel near here, today. Also present were LZS asnaf development division head Dr Adibah Abdul Wahab, MAIS deputy secretary Nurhani Salwa Jamaluddin and director of the Zakat Research Institute of Malaysia (IKaZ) and Baitus Salam Integrated Module research head Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Afandi Mat Rani.

Mohd Farid said apart from that, there were 180 licensed teachers for the mualaf to learn fard ain outside Baitus Salam to assist them in improving their knowledge of Islam.

Mohd Farid said the main purpose of the establishment of Baitus Salam was to protect reverts who were marginalised by their families and relatives after embracing Islam.

Baitus Salam started operating in January 2016 under MAIS’ mualaf management and development before its functions and roles were transferred to LZS on April 1, 2017.

A total of 244 asnaf have been given fard ain guidance since it was established and some of them have succeeded in pursuing their education, getting jobs and starting married life.

Meanwhile, Adibah said Baitus Salam will be used as a mechanism for improving the fard ain knowledge of reverts.

“We also want to strengthen their economy so that they are not only excellent in fard ain but also able to master economic knowledge,” she said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, March 30 (Bernama) — The requirement for using the MySejahtera application as a standard operating procedure (SOP) for check-ins may be scrapped.

He said the decision whether to continue or scrap the check-in via the MySejahtera application would be determined based on the COVID-19 infection trend as well as the mobility data of residents and travellers when the country’s borders reopen on April 1.

“A decision on this matter will take almost a month because we need to look at this trend.

“If there are not many changes to the infection trend, we may drop the check-in function,” he told reporters after officiating the closing ceremony of the National Integrated Weight Management Programme and World Physical Activity Day 2022 here today.

Khair said this when asked to comment on a statement by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) that it was time to scrap the practice of having to scan the MySejahtera application for check-ins as the country transitions into the endemic phase from April 1.

The government had previously dropped the SOP related to temperature checks and manual recording of personal particulars for entry into premises on Feb 11.

On the issue of the MySejahtera application ownership, Khairy said the Ministry of Health (MOH) expects to finalise negotiations with the company that operates the application software platform in about a month’s time.

“The negotiation process is going on. But it is taking some time because it is quite technical,” he said, adding that he would provide an explanation on the matter at the Dewan Negara tomorrow.

The negotiations are being held after the MOH set up a price negotiation committee last year aimed as negotiating the procurement price and management of MySejahtera application services with the company for a period of two years, in line with the government’s procurement procedures, he said.

He said the procurement had been agreed upon by the Ministry of Finance on Feb 28 and now the negotiation process has started to ensure due diligence is carried out as well as to protect the government’s interests.

Khairy had earlier stressed that the government never sold the MySejahtera application to any private company and it is owned by the government.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

DUBAI, March 30 (Bernama) — Malaysia has provided the opportunity to more than 400 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) to go international through their participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said it was a space for the companies to expand their business and explore new opportunities abroad.

“The government bears the cost of the participation fee for all MSMEs at the Expo 2020 Dubai, they only have to pay the cost of accommodation and plane tickets.

“This proves the government’s commitment to help, support and empower MSMEs. I want more MSMEs to be able to spread their wings to the international level which can help create more employment opportunities, further improving the living standards of Malaysian families,” he said in his speech at the Dubai Expo 2020 Appreciation Ceremony here on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said in celebrating cultural diversity, the Malaysian Pavilion also held various cultural collaborations, including with Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Poland, Thailand, Vietnam and the United Kingdom as well as the ASEAN Pavilion,

He also welcomed the statement by Science Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba on Malaysia participating in Expo 2020 Dubai’s five-year legacy programme.

“We want the Malaysian Technology and Innovation Hub to be a source of inspiration for future innovators,” he said.

Earlier, the Prime Minister spent time visiting the Malaysian Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai, which began on Oct 1, 2021, and ends tomorrow.

Also present were Senior Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Adham Baba, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah, Minister of Rural Development Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and Deputy Minister of Works Datuk Arthur Josep Kurup.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 (Bernama) — The Saudi Visa Bio app developed by the Saudi Arabian government to facilitate the registration of haj and umrah pilgrims from Malaysia to the country is in line with Lembaga Tabung Haji’s (TH) transformation plan or Hijrah24, which stresses the digitalisation of haj management.

TH Haj Executive Director Datuk Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman said the introduction of the application was meant to speed up the process of immigration and customs inspections by improving the process of passport scanning, face and fingerprint (biometric) scanning, in addition to time savings for pilgrims arriving in the Holy Land.

He said such innovation was commendable, and any improvement effort must be allowed to continue in the future to ensure better services for the haj pilgrims.

“Malaysians are very fortunate because the Saudi Arabian government had chosen Malaysia as one of the earliest countries to implement the pilot project of the app,” he said in a statement today.

The Saudi Visa Bio app is currently in its first phase and will use fingerprints or faces to complete the Umrah or H visa issuance process. It was launched in Malaysia last Monday.

Saudi Arabia is the first country in the world to use biometric registration technology through smartphones for electronic visa issuance.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 (Bernama) — The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) has recorded a total of 54 signings worth RM 4.6 billion during the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2022 and National Security (NATSEC) Asia 2022 exhibitions to strengthen the national defence.

Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said it involved the signing ceremony of contract documents, Memoranda of Understanding (MoU), the handing over of Letters of Acceptance (LOA) and Letters of Intent (LOI).

“A total of 20 LOAs worth RM1.14 billion, 24 contracts (RM3.32 billion), seven LOIs (RM152.79 million and three MoUs (were recorded),” he said in a press conference after witnessing the signing ceremony held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), here today.

In the meantime, Hishammuddin also touched on the ongoing procurement of new assets for the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF).

“For the Malaysian Army, the assets are the Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) to be deployed with MALBATT 850 in Lebanon; 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzers, Logistic Support Bridges for the Royal Army Engineers; 3-tonne GS Cargo Trucks for mobility and logistics; and Light Anti-Tank Weapon (LAW) Anti Structure for the Special Forces,” he said.

Meanwhile, for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), he said the new assets in the pipeline were three Italian-made AW 139 utility helicopters.

“The second batch of three Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) that will be equipped with more sophisticated weapon systems to complement the existing four LMS is also planned for next year, subject to approval by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU). Additionally, 13 Fast Interceptor Crafts (FIC) are also in the process of procurement,” he said.

Hishammuddin noted that the procurements for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) currently underway were 36 new Fighter-Lead-In-Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft (FLIT-LCA) to be acquired over two phases of 18 aircrafts each.

“This will replace the MiG-29N/UB that have ceased operations in 2017; the HAWKs that will have been in service for 32 years by 2026; and the Aermacchi (MB-339CM) that will have also been in service for 22 years by 2030,” he said.

The senior minister said plans were in place to procure three long-range air defence radars (LORAD); a medium-range air defence radar (MERAD); Unmanned Aerial Surveillance (UAS); Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Surveillance (MALE-UAS) and Maritime Patrol Aircrafts (MPA).

Under the Maritime Security Initiative (MSI), three CN235-220M aircrafts are currently in the process of being upgraded to fulfil the role of Maritime Surveillance Aircrafts (MSA) that will be capable of conducting Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) duties, he said.

According to Hishammuddin, they are currently leasing four AW139 helicopters as a short-term measure to address the Nuri helicopters that have been decommissioned.

“Plans are already in place to procure 24 new helicopters to address the decommissioned of Nuri helicopters from 2026 onwards with 12 helicopters to be acquired in Phase 1 (13th Malaysia Plan from 2026-2030), and 12 more helicopters to be acquired in Phase 2 (14th MP from 2031-2035),” he said.

Hishammuddin emphasised that despite the economic impact of the pandemic and working within the budget allocated to Mindef and MAF, both the ministry and military were committed to working hand-in-hand to ensure the country’s defence and security readiness remained at an optimum level.

“The success of DSA 2022 and NATSEC 2022 over the last three days also highlights the strong partnership that exists between Mindef, MAF and the defence industry as symbolised by today’s MoU and contract signing ceremony,” he added

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 30 (Bernama) — About 400,000 travellers are expected to commute between Malaysia and Singapore through the Johor Causeway and Linkedua during the first week of the reopening of the country’s borders starting Friday.

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said all the counters at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complexes namely the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB), here and the Sultan Iskandar Building in Johor Bahru will be fully operational to avoid congestions.

“During pre-pandemic times, nearly 400,000 travellers went in and out on a daily basis, so we are expecting 400,000 people for at least seven days from April 1 to 7.

“The Johor Information Department will provide infographics which will be posted on social media so that travellers know the standard operating procedures (SOP) and requirements and the most important thing is for them to download the MySejahtera application before entering Malaysia,” he said at a media conference after inspecting a dry run held at the KSAB CIQ in Tanjung Kupang, here today.

Also present was Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

Onn Hafiz said nearly 2,700 officers and personnel from various departments and agencies including the Immigration Department, Customs Department, the police, the Road Transport Department and the state health department will be on duty round the clock at the CIQ complexes starting April 1.

He said Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim had also agreed for 130 volunteers from Southern Volunteers to be placed at the two CIQ complexes to assist Malaysians as well as travellers.

On the road charge waive for seven days beginning this Friday at the complexes, he thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for the announcement and for considering the state government’s application to facilitate cross-border travels.

Onn Hafiz also expressed his thanks to Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz and Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof for their assistance and also to Wee who approved the state government’s application to waive the road charge of RM20 from April 1 to 7.

“This decision will surely smoothen the services and traffic flow at both the CIG complexes and vehicle owners do not have to stop to make payment and reload their Touch ‘n Go cards for a week,” he added.

Meanwhile, Wee said the road charge exemption will help to solve the congestion problem following high vehicle volume which is expected especially ahead of the Ramadan month.

He said a total of 191,263 vehicles from Singapore have registered to install the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag for the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) on their vehicles of which 65,263 vehicle owners have received the tags.

On March 25, Ismail Sabri and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong in a joint statement announced that both countries agreed to fully open the land border for fully vaccinated travellers, without the need to undergo quarantine or undertake a COVID-19 test before departure and upon arrival beginning April 1, in line with the transition into the endemic phase.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency