Malaysia Morning News For August 17

Malaysian parliament throws out law against ‘fake news’
Malaysia’s parliament on Thursday (Aug 16) repealed a law against “fake news” introduced this year by the administration of former prime minister Najib Razak.
— Channel NewsAsia

SMEs should be ready to face Industry 4.0
Local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) must equip themselves with comprehensive knowledge of Industry 4.0, said Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur Development Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli.
— New Straits Times

Malaysia must reject trans-pacific trade pact, say Pakatan MPs
PUTRAJAYA needs to reject Malaysia’s participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), said several lawmakers.
— The Malaysian Insight

Malaysia: Japanese square watermelons sold in Kuala Lumpur
Among the many weird and wonderful trends that sweep Japan, there is the square watermelon. What exactly are they? They’re regular watermelons, just grown into the shape of a cube instead of its natural, round shape.
— Fresh Plaza

BMW Group Malaysia begins export of the MINI Countryman to Thailand
BMW Group Malaysia has today delivered the first units of the recently-unveiled Mini Countryman for its export programme to Thailand.
— New Straits Times

Thai court sentences Malaysian ’Iceman’ to death
A Malaysian drug dealer dubbed the ‘Iceman’ was sentenced to death today (Aug 16) after he was convicted of running a narcotics network that funnelled huge profits into legitimate businesses.
— The Phuket News

Dialog makes RM510mil profit in FY18
Dialog Group Bhd is adding new storage tank terminals, boosting its lucrative core logistics business, as full year earnings tops the half-a-billion ringgit mark for the first time.
— The Star Online

Ringgit decline in line with fall in global currencies
The decline in the value of the ringgit against the US dollar is in line with the fall in other global currencies, caused by the global economic uncertainties, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
— The Borneo Post

Telekom Malaysia seeks reprieve from MSAP rules
Telekom Malaysia has reportedly urged the government to delay and adjust the implementation of the government’s Mandatory Standard on Access Pricing (MSAP), citing the potential for financial hardship.
— Telecomasia

Malaysian PM hopes to recalibrate Chinese investment on trip to Beijing
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will visit China today, marking his first visit as head of the new Malaysian government.
— Foreign Brief

Malaysia to prove Jho Low’s private jet bought with stolen money, says Dr M
Malaysia will strive to prove that the private aircraft owned by businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, was bought with money stolen from the country, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.
— The Star Online

Malaysia ministers, deputy ministers must avoid making negative statements: Adviser
Ministers and deputy ministers in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government must avoid issuing statements that can have a negative impact on the nation, government and people, said the special adviser on media and communication to the Prime Minister, A Kadir Jasin on Thursday (Aug 16).
— Channel NewsAsia

Matrix Concepts targets to launch RM1.6bil projects in FY19
Negri Sembilan-based property developer Matrix Concepts Holdings Bhd is targeting to launch RM1.6 billion worth of new properties in the financial year ending March 31, 2019 (FY19), a surge of 27.2 per cent from RM1.2 billion in FY2018.
— New Straits Times

Business unusual in Malaysia
The Malaysian voters booted out the previous government largely premised on one main agenda – system-wide reformation.
— The Star Online

Petronas Chemicals performance commendable: MIDF
Petronas Chemicals Bhd’s (PetChem) performance in the second quarter is commendable despite turnaround activities carried out so far this year, says MIDF Research.
— New Straits Times

July auto sales second highest monthly TIV in industry’s history
The automotive industry recorded its second highest monthly total industry volume (TIV) last month with 68,465 units sold, said the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA).
— The Sun Daily

SMK Limbang duo win bronze award at maths competition
Two SMK Limbang students recently brought honours to Limbang after winning a bronze award at the Asia International Mathematical Olympiad 2018 (AIMO) held at Thailand Chamber of Commerce University.
— The Borneo Post

Sliding currencies trigger palm oil demand concerns
Sliding emerging market currencies are ringing alarm bells among traders concerned that palm oil demand will weaken across the region from China to Iran, as reduced purchasing power cuts into imports into countries like Turkey and India.
— The Sun Daily

Bumper first half for HSL as profits for 2Q18 reaches RM154 million
With its major projects moving ahead and order book at a record high, Sarawak-based infrastructure company Hock Seng Lee Bhd (HSL) has delivered strong growth outcomes for the first half of 2018.
— The Borneo Post

Takeover of toll concessionaires may cost less than RM400 billion, says Pua
The toll concessions takeover may cost less than the RM400 billion projected by the previous government, said Ministry of Finance special officer Tony Pua.
— The Sun Daily

Early entry gives Malaysia advantage in developing EV
Early entry and lower internal resistance will give Malaysia an advantage in developing an electric vehicle (EV) as the third national car, says former Proton chairman and managing director (MD) Tan Sri Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh.
— The Borneo Post

Malaysia moves to break monopoly for hiring foreign workers
The move comes as the Malaysian government is currently facing problems with illegal foreign workers, forcing it to suspend a syndicate of 10 Bangladeshi agents authorised for recruitment of workers.
— bdnews24

How is the Mercedes-AMG A45 so underpriced in Malaysia?
Priced at just RM329K, questions abound if this is due to differences in equipment, pricing being easier to manipulate here or if it’s being pushed as a loss leader.
— FMT

Chinese MH370 relatives ask to meet Malaysia PM
Chinese relatives of those who disappeared on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 yesterday asked to meet the country’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad when he visits China this week. The plane disappeared in March 2014 with 239 people — mostly from China — on board, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
— Gulf Times

Malaysia human rights group denounces caning sentence on 2 women for attempting lesbian sex
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has denounced the Terengganu Syariah Court’s decision on August 12 to sentence two women to six strokes of caning each for attempted lesbian relations because such punishment is humiliating and demeaning.
— Asia One

Malaysia, Truly Asia? Look East, Look West? Be the best or beat the rest?
Cemil Aydin, one of the finest historians on Japan and the Middle East, now based in University of North Carolina, once affirmed in an Oxford dictionary on political thought, that “Asia” was the classical Greeks’ description of everything east of Persia some 2,500 years ago.
— Malaysia Kini

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