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Pua slams Najib for relying on taxes, against reform

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PETALING JAYA: Tony Pua says the Budget 2018 announced by Prime Minister Najib Razak today contains no meaningful reforms in terms of economic policies and ways to end corruption and wastage, but instead pushes the burden on the people. 
 
The Petaling Jaya Utara MP said while declaring that the projected budget deficit for 2018 will be down to 2.8%, from the estimated 3% this year, the prime minister is only achieving this via taxes. 
 
“Despite the massive increase in government revenues resulting from the goods and services tax (GST), there is no reprieve for individual and corporate income tax payers. 
 
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“Ordinary Malaysians will be forced to bear increasing higher tax contributions, whether it is via GST, individual or corporate income taxes,” Pua said in his analysis of the national budget proposal announced by the prime minister in the Dewan Rakyat today. 
 
The DAP national publicity secretary also targeted the growing operating expenditure, comparing the rate of growth in Budget 2018 against the same in recent years. 
 
“There is a significant increase in the operating expenditure which is expected to increase by RM14.4 billion to RM234.3 billion in 2018. 
 
“In contrast, the increase was only RM9.7 billion or 4.6% in 2017, while in 2016, the operating expenditure actually reduced by 3.1%.” 
 
Pua added that at the proposed rate in Budget 2018, the operating expenditure in proportion to total expenditure will increase to 83.6%, which according to him is the highest in Malaysian budget history. 
 
“This proves that the Najib administration has not seriously implemented policies to impose prudence in spending. 
 
“Instead, it is relying almost entirely on increasing taxes to balance its books instead of cutting wastage, eliminating corruption and reducing the cost of government.” 
 
Today, Najib proposed a 2% decrease in income tax rates for taxable income up to RM70,000 per annum. 
 
However, Pua said for 2018, individual income tax collection for the government was expected to increase by another 7.1% to RM32.2 billion, according to Najib’s speech. 
 
“That compares with the individual income tax contributions increase by 9.2% to RM30.1 billion for this year. 
 
“It lends credence to the widespread discontent against the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) for their heavy-handed tactics in squeezing substantially higher tax contributions from individuals and businesses. 
 
“Some have even termed LHDN’s tactics as ‘tax terrorism’ by demanding, with hardly any room for negotiation, backdated taxes of up to 10 years,” Pua said, referring to the projected increase in corporate tax revenue by 6.9% to RM72.5 billion for 2018. 
 
He contended that the above increases in individual and corporate income taxes are disproportionately higher than the 4-5% economic growth rates for Malaysia.-FMT NEWS-

Pua slams Najib for relying on taxes, against reform

PETALING JAYA: Tony Pua says the Budget 2018 announced by Prime Minister Najib Razak today contains no meaningful reforms in terms of econ...

‘Mother of all scandals’ missing in Najib’s budget, says Kit Siang

0 Breaking News, News update, 热点新闻 Hot News, 热门话题 Hot Topics 2:18:00 AM

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PETALING JAYA: Najib Razak today boasted that his 2018 Budget was the “mother of all budgets”, but veteran opposition stalwart Lim Kit Siang said it did not address the “mother of all scandals”, referring to the controversies surrounding 1MDB. 
 
“I am very disappointed,” said the Gelang Patah MP, hours after the prime minister ended his budget speech at the Dewan Rakyat. 
 
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“I did not hear a single reference to the interntional multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal which had overnight transformed Malaysia into a global kleptocracy.” 
 
Lim said that by claiming the budget was the best in the nation’s 60-year history, Najib was suggesting that he was more able than his father, the late Tun Razak, who as finance minister had also presented the national budget. 
 
The DAP leader said he had expected the prime minister to make a “full defence of the 1MDB scandal” in today’s budget speech. 
 
He also fired Najib for invoking the struggles of the prophets and religious figures such as Imam al-Ghazali and Indonesian philosopher Hamka. 
 
“It is Najib who should ponder deep and hard the example from the history of the prophets and highlighted by Imam Ghazali and Bapak Hamka, ‘What is the point of being wealthy but weak in soul’?” asked Lim.-FMT NEWS- 
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‘Mother of all scandals’ missing in Najib’s budget, says Kit Siang

PETALING JAYA: Najib Razak today boasted that his 2018 Budget was the “mother of all budgets”, but veteran opposition stalwart Lim Kit Sia...

Najib, Zahid fail to get stay from filing defence over suit

0 Breaking News, News update, 热点新闻 Hot News, 热门话题 Hot Topics 2:10:00 AM

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PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Najib Razak and his deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today failed to obtain an interim stay from filing their defence in response to ex-Umno leader Khairuddin Abu Hassan’s suit for breach of their oaths of office. 
 
Lawyer Syed Iskandar Syed Jaafar Al Mahdzar, who appeared for Khairuddin, said High Court deputy registrar M Pavani refused the stay pending the outcome of the duo’s application to annul the suit. 
 
“The deputy registrar informed us that she was in no position to grant the stay but will refer the matter to judge Ahmad Zaidee Ibrahim who is scheduled to hear the suit,” he said. 
 
On Oct 12, Pavani ordered Najib and Zahid to file their defence by Oct 27 and their application to strike out the suit by Nov 10. 
 
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Lawyer Yazid Mustaqim Roslan appeared for Najib and Zahid during a case management today. 
 
Syed Iskandar said Pavani also advised the disputing parties to explore the possibility of settling the case out of court. 
 
“Both me and Yazid informed Pavani that we will inform our clients and obtain further instruction,” Syed Iskandar said. 
 
The next case management is scheduled for Nov 15. 
 
Meanwhile, Najib and Zahid have filed the application to strike out Khairuddin’s suit. 
 
According to documents sighted by FMT, the two claimed that Khairuddin’s action did not reveal a reasonable cause of action. 
 
“The application is frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of the court process,” they said. 
 
They also contended that the filing of their defence before the hearing of the striking out application would prejudice their legal rights. 
 
They also questioned whether the court had the jurisdiction to determine the violations of oath according to the Sixth Schedule of the Federal Constitution. 
 
Both also questioned whether Khairuddin has the legal standing to file the suit. 
 
Khairuddin, an ardent critic of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), in his statement of claim, said both leaders were unfit to be in the cabinet for misleading the public that RM2.6 billion in Najib’s account had come from an Arab donor. 
 
He said Najib and Zahid had violated their oath of office, prescribed under the Sixth Schedule to preserve, to protect and defend the Federal Constitution. 
 
The former Batu Kawan Umno division vice-chairman, who was sacked from the party in 2015, wants a declaration that Najib is unfit to hold the prime minister’s post or to be a member of the cabinet established under Article 43 of the constitution. 
 
Khairuddin, also wants a similar declaration against Zahid, who is also home minister. 
 
He said both became trustees of their office in public law and were, accordingly, under duty not to knowingly misrepresent facts or to mislead the citizens or to lie to them on material issues. 
 
Khairuddin said sometime in March 2013, US$681 million (RM2.6 billion) was deposited in the private account of Najib, which he claimed belonged to 1MDB. 
 
He said Najib had on several occasions publicly denied that the money belonged to 1MDB and instead declared that it had come from an Arab donor. 
 
“In truth the monies came from a company called Tanore Corporation Finance which is controlled by Low Taek Jho or Jho Low,” Khairuddin added. 
 
Khairuddin said Zahid, publicly as well as in the Dewan Rakyat, had declared that he had met the donor or donors of the US$681 million.-FMT NEWS- 
 
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Najib, Zahid fail to get stay from filing defence over suit

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Najib Razak and his deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today failed to obtain an interim stay from filing their defen...

It’s a bizarre budget, says Wong Chen

0 Breaking News, News update, 热点新闻 Hot News, 热门话题 Hot Topics 2:05:00 AM

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KUALA LUMPUR: PKR’s Wong Chen today described the 2018 Budget as a “bizarre budget”. 
 
He said RM12 billion had been allocated for the development budget for the Prime Minister’s Department (PMD) next year. 
 
“The health ministry only got RM1.8 billion for development purposes under the budget, and education only got RM1.4 billion. 
 
“What is the prime minister spending RM12 billion on? 
 
“The total allocated for the prime minister’s department, including for operating and development expenses, is RM18 billion.” 
 
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Last year, RM15.94 billion had been allocated to this department. 
 
Prime Minister Najib Razak delivered his 2018 Budget at the Dewan Rakyat this afternoon. 
 
Wong Chen, who is the PKR Kelana Jaya MP, said the budget was also bizarre as the income tax rate has been reduced and more items have been exempted from paying the 6% goods and services tax (GST). 
 
“Yet, he is expecting higher tax revenue in 2018. 
 
“They are projecting GST collection to hit RM44 billion (in 2018). That is an additional RM2.3 billion compared with 2017. 
 
“What this effectively means is that every Malaysian household will have to pay more in GST next year,” he said. 
 
The MP said if the GST revenue hits an all-time high of RM44 billion, households may have to fork out another RM330 each in GST next year. 
 
Under his 2018 Budget, Najib has proposed that all services provided by local authorities be exempted from GST from April 1, 2018 or Oct 1, 2018 onwards, depending on the local authority’s own discretion. 
 
Najib also proposed to have reading material treated as a zero-rated GST item from Jan 1. 
 
Wong Chen said the budget was RM21 billion more than last year at RM282 billion. 
 
“And yet Najib has announced he will magically reduce the deficit from 3% in 2017 to 2.8% for 2018. 
 
“How is he going to do this?” 
 
He said the answer to that question was simple — that was to tax more. 
 
It looks like the government was going to collect an additional RM20 billion in taxes from the people and companies to pay for the 2018 budget, he added.
-FMT NEWS-

It’s a bizarre budget, says Wong Chen

KUALA LUMPUR: PKR’s Wong Chen today described the 2018 Budget as a “bizarre budget”. He said RM12 billion had been allocated for the dev...

Don’t kid the Indians, Waytha tells Zahid

0 Breaking News, News update, 热点新闻 Hot News, 热门话题 Hot Topics 8:32:00 AM

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PETALING JAYA: Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy has accused the government of resorting to a gimmick to win Indian votes in claiming that it is sincerely trying to help the community. 
 
He told FMT he didn’t believe Putrajaya had ever seriously considered the problems of the Indians and its duty to come up with solutions to improve their lot. 
 
He alleged that Putrajaya brushed aside the proposals he made during his short stint as a deputy minister. 
 
He was reacting to Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s recent statement that the government was seriously listening to the Indian community and looking for ways to improve their lives. 
 
 
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Waytha said Zahid had “conveniently forgotten” the “practical and comprehensive solutions” he came up with when he served in the Prime Minister’s Department. 
 
He cited what he said was the government’s lack of determination to resolve the issue of stateless Malaysian Indians. 
 
“My solutions are doable as they are a realistic approach towards addressing the issue of the estimated 300,000 stateless Malaysian Indians,” he said. 
 
“Hence the claim of wanting to listen to the problems of the Indians and to transform their lives is purely a political gimmick to win Indian votes in the upcoming general election.” 
 
Waytha, who was appointed a senator after the 13th general election, resigned in February 2014. He cited the BN government’s failure to protect the interests of the Indian community as the reason. 
 
Prior to the 13th general election, he and Prime Minister Najib Razak signed a memorandum of understanding when the government promised to uplift the Indian community.-fmt news-
 
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Don’t kid the Indians, Waytha tells Zahid

PETALING JAYA: Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy has accused the government of resorting to a gimmick to win Indian votes in claiming that ...

Azalina refuses to give expense details of Najib’s US trip

0 Breaking News, News update, 热点新闻 Hot News, 热门话题 Hot Topics 10:42:00 PM

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KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said has refused to reveal the detailed expenditure of a visit to the US by Prime Minister Najib Razak and his delegation in September. 
 
She said whatever the PM spent on the trip was in accordance with the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980 as well as his allowances and perks. 
 
“The expenses included the cost of airfare, accommodation, transport, meal allowances, laundry and telephone, among others,” she said in a written reply to Anthony Loke (DAP-Seremban) in the Dewan Rakyat. 
 
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“Expenditure by the prime minister and members of his delegation follows the rates prescribed from time to time,” she added. 
 
Loke asked for the details of the cost of accommodation and the number and class of rooms booked in Trump International Hotel, owned by US President Donald Trump and located near the White House in Washington. 
 
Speaking to reporters, Loke said Azalina’s reply appeared to be an attempt to conceal the true costs of the accommodation for Najib and his delegation. 
 
According to Loke, room rates at the Trump hotel were very high, with a standard room costing RM20,000 per night. 
 
“Apart from the cost factor, the issue is why the prime minister’s delegation chose to stay at Trump International Hotel knowing that it belongs to Trump. 
 
“This is not a question of Najib deliberately seeking to curry favour with Trump but an issue of conflict of interest because the American president is prohibited by law from having any personal financial interest related to foreign leaders he meets,” said Loke. 
 
Loke questioned whether the government was reluctant to reveal the cost of the accommodation because it was unjustifiably high, and could anger Malaysians. 
 
He also asked why Najib did not stay at Blair House which was the official accommodation for visiting foreign guests of the US government. 
 
“Singapore’s prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is currently visiting the US, is staying at Blair House with all costs borne by the US government,” he pointed out. 
 
Meanwhile, in a written reply to Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), Najib said the brief visit to the US should not be measured in terms of investment value as decisions on investments were usually made after several discussions.-FMT NEWS- 
 
 
He said the visit was to take the opportunity to increase the profile and positive perception of Malaysia as a trading and investment partner to the US administration, Congress and businessmen. 
 
“Trade and investment were the main topics on the agenda during the visit to the US because it is crucial for Malaysia to have two-way economic communication with the US, the biggest economy in the world,” he said. 
 
The prime minister also said the trip to the US was a working visit while the brief visit to Britain that followed was a special visit to British prime minister Theresa May. 
 
“Both the visits should not be confused with trade and investment missions,” he added. 
 
“The efforts should be seen as a strategic step to bring profits in the long run to the country.” 
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Azalina refuses to give expense details of Najib’s US trip

KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said has refused to reveal the detailed expenditure of a visit to...

Dr Mahathir should apologise over Bugis remark, says envoy

0 Breaking News, News update, 热点新闻 Hot News, 热门话题 Hot Topics 9:43:00 PM

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JAKARTA: The Bugis ethnic community in Indonesia wants a public apology from Malaysia’s former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad over a remark he made at an opposition gathering in Selangor recently.</div>
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Malaysian honorary consul in Sulawesi, Halim Kalla, said the entire Bugis community in Indonesia, especially in Sulawesi, was offended by Mahathir’s statement and had sent their protests to the Malaysian ambassador in Indonesia.</div>
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“I have also expressed regrets over the statement by Mahathir to Malaysian ambassador Zahrain Mohamed Hashim. The Bugis community has also demanded that Mahathir apologise for his gaffe on the Bugis people,” he told Bernama here today.</div>
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Halim said as a respectable former leader, Mahathir should not insult any race in the world and if he had made a mistake, he should apologise instead of remaining quiet.</div>
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Mahathir, 92, had claimed at the “Love Malaysia, End Kleptocracy” rally organised by PH at Padang Timur in Petaling Jaya, on Oct 14, that Malaysia was being led by a prime minister who was “a thief, bandit, a robber”.</div>
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“This is our country today. This kind of thing where a prime minister is a robber has never happened before,” he said, referring to Prime Minister Najib Razak.</div>
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“Yes, it may be because he comes from Bugis pirates. We don’t know how he got lost and reached Malaysia.”</div>
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Halim said even although Mahathir had his political differences with Najib, he should not insult any race, what more a community that had contributed to the formation of the government of Malaya.</div>
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He said the Bugis community was a race whose diaspora throughout the world had always held the philosophy of blending themselves with the local environment and as such, Mahathir should not insult the Bugis diaspora in Malaysia by describing them as descendants of pirates.</div>
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He said Mahathir should be aware that the insult against the community had also offended Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla and former president B J Habibie who were of Bugis descent.</div>
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Halim said as Malaysia’s representative in Sulawesi, he was also offended as he was of Macassar Bugis descent.</div>
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“Apologise and admit the mistake as it is the character of a true leader and we hope Mahathir will display such values as a statesman.”</div>
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Recently, the Indonesian Bugis Macassar Youth Assembly demanded Mahathir make a public apology over his statement.</div>
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Its leader, Arwin Welhamina said the group would hold a massive demonstration in front of the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta soon if Mahathir refused to apologise.</div>
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The Malaysia United Bugis Cluster Association Sabah also demanded an apology from the PPBM chairman.</div>
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Its president Samsul Alang Hamsah said the remark was unbecoming of a former prime minister who had for 22 years helmed Malaysia as a nation known for its diverse ethnic groups, religions and cultures.</div>
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Meanwhile, Zahrain told Bernama that Mahathir should apologise quickly over the matter as it had caused problems to Malaysians in Indonesia.</div>
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“As a statesman, Mahathir should not utter such words and now it has put the embassy and Malaysians in Indonesia in danger as it has sparked anger among the locals of Bugis descent,” he said, adding that the former PM should do the right thing to preserve relations with neighbouring countries.</div>
-FMT NEWS-
 
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Dr Mahathir should apologise over Bugis remark, says envoy

JAKARTA: The Bugis ethnic community in Indonesia wants a public apology from Malaysia’s former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad over a r...

Minister denies Umno-themed event at school was political

0 Breaking News, News update, 热点新闻 Hot News, 热门话题 Hot Topics 8:01:00 PM

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KUALA LUMPUR: Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid has denied claims that an Umno-themed event held at a school in Putrajaya recently was political in nature. 
 
Explaining that the event carried the theme of independence and was not about politics, he said, “For your information, the programme at SK Putrajaya Presint 14(1) was a competition organised by the federal territories ministry, together with the Putrajaya Federal Territories Education Department, with independence as the theme, not politics.” 
 
Mahdzir gave the explanation in a written parliamentary reply to Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) today. 
 
Mahdzir added that the programme on Oct 3 was held to create a generation that was aware of the country’s history and its fight for independence. 
 
Earlier Kok had asked Mahdzir to state why Pakatan Harapan leaders like Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng had been barred from entering public schools, while the Putrajaya school had hosted the Umno-themed event that was officiated by Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor. 
 
She also asked what action had been taken against the school for holding the event. 
 
Mahdzir said his ministry made sure that all teaching staff pledged their loyalty to the Agong, country and ruling government, as stipulated under Regulation 4(1) of the Civil Servants Regulations (Conduct and Discipline) 1993. 
 
He added that according to a circular, all government staff were prohibited from taking part in anti-government activities.-FMT NEWS-

Minister denies Umno-themed event at school was political

KUALA LUMPUR: Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid has denied claims that an Umno-themed event held at a school in Putrajaya recently was pol...

Zahid: Putrajaya wants to transform Indian community

0 Breaking News, News update, 热点新闻 Hot News, 热门话题 Hot Topics 7:56:00 PM

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KUALA LUMPUR: The government listens to the problems of the Indian community in this country and seeks solutions to transform and take them to a higher level, says Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. 
 
Zahid said the transformation of the Indian community’s education, political and socio-economical status had become the government’s priority, adding that education would help raise their economic standards. 
 
“Malaysia would not become a developed nation without focusing on education for all races and ethnic groups in this country,” he said at a cheque presentation ceremony for special maintenance allocation for National Type Tamil Schools (SJKT) 2017, here today. 
 
The event at the Bahasa Melayu Campus of the Teaching Education Institute was also attended by Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid and Health Minister S Subramaniam, who is also the MIC president. 
 
Zahid said the progress made by the Indian community was a result of the government’s concern for their welfare as they had never ignored ethnic groups in the country. 
 
“The progress achieved has brought the Indian community closer to the government. I do not see any reason for us to be far apart. When the big day (general election) comes, go out and fulfil your responsibility by giving the mandate for the progress of the race and the country.” 
 
Some RM25 million of the RM50 million in the Phase One Allocation Fund 2017 has been distributed to 157 government SJKTs nationwide. 
 
Currently, there are 524 SJKTs nationwide, of which 367 are government-aided schools while 157 are government schools.-FMT NEWS-
 
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Zahid: Putrajaya wants to transform Indian community

KUALA LUMPUR: The government listens to the problems of the Indian community in this country and seeks solutions to transform and take the...

Petrol prices up by 3 sen, diesel up by 2 sen

0 Breaking News, News update, 热点新闻 Hot News, 热门话题 Hot Topics 7:49:00 PM

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PETALING JAYA: Fuel prices will go up from midnight, with a 3 sen increase per litre for petrol while the price of diesel goes up by 2 sen. 
 
The price of RON95 petrol will increase to RM2.20 per litre from RM2.17 previously, while RON97 will cost RM2.50. 
 
Diesel, meanwhile, will increase to RM2.13 per litre from the previous RM2.11. 
 
The new prices will be in effect from Oct 25 until Nov 1. 
 
This was announced on the domestic trade, cooperatives and consumerism ministry’s Twitter account and website this evening.-FMT NEWS- 
 
The weekly fuel pricing mechanism came into effect on March 29 this year. Prices of petrol and diesel have been placed on a managed monthly float system since Dec 1, 2014, following the removal of fuel subsidies. 
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Petrol prices up by 3 sen, diesel up by 2 sen

PETALING JAYA: Fuel prices will go up from midnight, with a 3 sen increase per litre for petrol while the price of diesel goes up by 2 sen...

Muhyiddin: Irresponsible to close file on Jho Low

0 Breaking News, News update, 热点新闻 Hot News, 热门话题 Hot Topics 8:22:00 AM

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PETALING JAYA: PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin has described the government’s reported move to close the file on investigations related to Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, as an irresponsible act. 
 
He said the statement by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday that the Malaysian police had shut the file and there had been no more requests by Interpol on the case, needed to be clarified. 
 
The former deputy prime minister, who was sacked from his post in June 2016, said Zahid’s two apparently contradicting explanations on Jho Low’s status yesterday, were confusing. 
 
He said it was necessary to ascertain if the federal government, the home ministry or the police had made an official request to Interpol to arrest Jho Low and bring him to Malaysia so that he could be tried in the case said to be linked to 1MDB. 
 
 
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Yesterday evening, Zahid’s office issued a statement refuting reports based on his Parliamentary reply in the morning that the Malaysian police had sought help from Interpol to trace Jho Low’s whereabouts. 
 
It said Zahid, who is also home minister, had clearly stated during the Dewan Rakyat sitting that there was no case for conviction. 
 
It said he had mentioned this in reply to a supplementary question by PKR’s Gombak MP Azmin Ali, who is also Selangor menteri besar. 
 
It said the issue on the search for Jho Low having been resumed, as reported by certain media, was “completely untrue”. 
 
Muhyiddin however, said Zahid’s assertion in Parliament had turned out to be an embarrassment. 
 
“This matter should be clarified,” he said. 
 
“The Interpol investigation was said by Zahid to have been completed, with no findings made whatsoever and therefore the case was closed. That was a very irresponsible action,” he said. 
 
Zahid had said in a Parliamentary video recording of his reply to Azmin: “We have indeed forwarded a request to Interpol to find where the person meant by YB Gombak (Azmin Ali) is, and we are confident that Interpol will act professionally. 
 
“The Malaysian police have still not obtained any specific details from Interpol. However we are confident that what has been done by several parties at the international level, especially the intelligence agencies, has been finalised and the case is no longer relevant except when it is raised by dissatisfied politicians.” 
 
Azmin today said he would hold a discussion with his Pakatan Harapan colleagues on whether to refer Zahid to the Rights and Privileges Committee for retracting his statement on Interpol’s assistance to locate Jho Low. 
 
Penang-born Jho Low has been implicated by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) in the alleged misappropriation of funds linked to 1MDB. 
 
Prosecutors in Singapore have also named him as the central figure in probes linked to 1MDB, adding that he used money traceable to the state fund for his own benefit.-FMT NEWS-

Muhyiddin: Irresponsible to close file on Jho Low

PETALING JAYA: PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin has described the government’s reported move to close the file on investigations related to...

DAP: What happened to promise of doubled Internet speed?

0 Breaking News, News update, 热点新闻 Hot News, 热门话题 Hot Topics 8:18:00 AM

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PETALING JAYA: Perak DAP publicity bureau chief Chong Zhemin wants the federal government to explain what happened to the Budget 2017 promise that Internet service providers (ISPs) would double Internet speed in the country and halve subscription rates. 
 
He said Malaysians demanded to know when they could receive the faster service as promised by Prime Minister Najib Razak when tabling the budget in Parliament in October last year. 
 
“During this information age where Malaysians rely heavily on broadband speed, we deserve faster broadband packages at a lower price. 
 
“I urge Najib to make good on the promise he made during Budget 2017 to offer Malaysians ‘double broadband speed at half the price’. Can he deliver?” Chong said in a statement today. 
 
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Najib, who is finance minister, had announced that the speed of Internet connection would be doubled with a reduction in prices by 50% within the next two years. 
 
Last Saturday, the lowyat.net web portal published a report that TM’s new UniFi Lite plan, which offered broadband services for RM99 per month, compared to the normal rate of RM129, had been delayed indefinitely. 
 
In March, Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak told FMT the government wanted to double Internet speeds and cut costs by half in two years. 
 
He said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) was in the process of rearranging the spectrum for the purpose. 
 
“This is expected to be completed by the middle of this year. As soon as this is over, Internet broadband speeds will also likely increase through more 4G and LTE services throughout the country,” he said.-FMT NEWS- 
 
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DAP: What happened to promise of doubled Internet speed?

PETALING JAYA: Perak DAP publicity bureau chief Chong Zhemin wants the federal government to explain what happened to the Budget 2017 prom...

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