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Welcome to the Malaysia morning news roundup by AEC News Today, your one stop for Malaysia news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities.

Two Malaysians leave North Korea, talks on to lift travel ban
North Korea guaranteed the safety of Malaysians banned from leaving the country, Malaysia’s prime minister said on Thursday, as two Malaysian U.N. employees left the isolated state in a possible sign that diplomatic tensions had begun to settle.
— Reuters

Malaysia’s Petronas, Japan’s Hokkaido Electric sign LNG supply deal
Malaysian state-owned oil company Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) has signed an agreement to supply liquefied natural gas to Japan’s Hokkaido Electric Power Company for ten years.
— New Straits Times

SC anticipates raising RM105b from capital market this year
The Malaysian capital market is expected to raise up to RM105 billion in 2017 from RM98.5 billion raised in 2016, said Securities Commission (SC) chairman Tan Sri Ranjit Ajit Singh.
— New Straits Times

MACC aims to engage the media in fight against graft
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) paid a courtesy visit to Menara Star here and a host of topics were discussed between the top brass of both organisations.
— The Star Online

Shell acquisition refines the Belt and Road initiative
The acquisition of Shell Refining Company Bhd here by a Chinese refinery is a good example of a mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation under the Belt and Road initiative, says China’s ambassador to Malaysia.
— The Star Online

Najib: Malaysia needs proactive, not reactive policies
Malaysia’s economy is now in need of a structural change and therefore national policies should not be reactive but proactive, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
— Malay Mail Online

Taiwan’s Cathay Fin in talks to buy Bank of Nova Scotia’s Malaysia unit
Taiwan’s Cathay Financial Holding Co is in exclusive talks to acquire the Malaysian unit of Canada’s Bank of Nova Scotia, in a deal that could be valued at around $200 million to $300 million.
— Deal Street Asia

Malaysia PE/VC capital commitment at $1.45b in 2016
Malaysia witnessed funds committed in venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) space at $1.45 billion (MYR 6.5 billion) last year, less than doubling in the past ten years amid concerns around the quality of underlying assets to be held by the investor firms.
— Deal Street Asia

Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia to patrol piracy-prone waters
The Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia will launch joint patrols in piracy-plagued waters, Manila’s defence secretary said Thursday, after a wave of attacks that saw Islamic militants kidnapping and murdering foreigners.
— Asia One

All Malaysians in North Korea safe: PM Najib
Two UN employees who were among 11 Malaysian nationals stranded in North Korea following a travel ban have left the country.
— Channel News Asia

Malaysia and North Korea – a friendship on ice
North Korea and Malaysia have taken the extraordinary step of banning each other’s citizens from leaving their countries in the fallout over the killing of Kim Jong-nam.
— BBC

GST now imposed on research grants
Not only must public universities contend with budget cuts, but academics are also getting less money for research as most grants now attract the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
— Malay Mail Online

Pyongyang’s intelligence operations network active in Malaysia, says source
While Malaysia and North Korea are doing their best to solve the diplomatic spat between the two governments, attention is now focused on the presence of more than 1,000 North Korean citizens in Malaysia.
— Malay Mail Online

Country Garden halts Malaysian housing sales to stem capital flight
Chinese developer Country Garden Holdings has closed all sales centres in mainland China for its flagship Malaysian housing project amid Beijing’s intensified crackdown on capital flight.
— South China Morning Post

SEB to buy bakun dam for RM2.5b
State-owned Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) is taking over the Bakun hydroelectric dam from the federal government for RM2.5 billion.
— New Straits Times

Eco World International kicks off retail offering, to issue up to 2.153b new shares
Eco World International Bhd (EWI) has launched its prospectus for its Initial Public Offering (IPO) kicking off with the retail offering, which commenced today and will close on March 20.
— New Straits Times

New child sex crimes law could be implemented in June
Malaysia’s new law against child sexual crimes could take effect as early as June.
— The Star Online

Najib checks on well-being of remaining nine
The nine remaining Malaysians in North Korea received moral support from Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who made a long distance call to the Malaysian embassy in Pyongyang to check on their well-being.
— The Star Online

Feature photo: Zashnain Zainal

Malaysia morning news is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

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