Malaysia Morning News For September 4

Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Railway Postponed For Two Years
Malaysia and Singapore agreed to postpone the development of a high-speed rail service between the two countries by two years, Malaysian business weekly The Edge reported on September 1.
— Investvine

Perodua cars 1-3% cheaper under SST pricing
Perodua vehicles are 1% to 3% cheaper under the Sales and Services Tax (SST), which came into effect on Sept 1, 2018, as compared to their Goods and Services Tax (GST)-era pricing.
— The Star Online

Costlier beer, cigarettes as brewers, tobacco manufacturers pass on sales tax to consumers
The prices of beer and cigarettes are about to go up nationwide as brewers and tobacco manufacturers pass on the 10 per cent sales tax to consumers.
— The Borneo Post

47% of Malaysian youths in steep credit card debt
Some 47% of Malaysian youths have high credit card debts while 38% have taken personal loans, according to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).
— FMT

Malaysia banks on pragmatic foreign policy to attract investments — Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister
Malaysia will continue to promote a forward-looking and pragmatic foreign policy that facilitates trade and attracts foreign investment under the leadership of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
— The Edge Markets

Malaysia PMI signals first expansion in seven months
Malaysia’s manufacturing sector expanded for the first time in seven months, according to a survey, thanks to a increase in new orders and slower pace of cost increases.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Malaysia Airlines launches Whatsapp service
Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its official Whatsapp service to provide customers with flight booking confirmation and flight status updates directly via the messaging application.
— New Straits Times

Two Malaysian Muslim women caned in public for attempting to have sex in car
Two Malaysian women convicted of attempting to have sex in a car have been caned in front of dozens of people, according to media and a state government official, prompting an outcry from human rights activists.
— ABC News

Malaysia’s finance minister acquitted of corruption charges
A Malaysian court on Monday acquitted Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng of corruption charges brought against him two years ago, state news agency Bernama reported.
— Reuters

Commentary: Post-Proton, Malaysia still dreams of a national car
Questions about whether Malaysia may invest in building up yet another national car manufacturer has opened up a wide range of possibilities, says one political economist.
— Channel NewsAsia (annoying popups)

Mahathir to keep promise to hand reins to Anwar after 2 years
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said he will honour his promise to be prime minister for only two years before handing over the reins to his former political adversary Anwar Ibrahim, according to Bernama news agency.
— Thai PBS

Malaysia can win bid to host 2023 World Road Congress: Baru Bian
Malaysia is confident of winning the right to host the renowned World Road Congress (WRC) in 2023, Works Minister Baru Bian said today.
— New Straits Times

Malaysia c.bank seen holding key rate on U.S.-China trade war concerns
Malaysia’s central bank is expected to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a meeting on Wednesday, as it keeps tabs on how far the United States and China will take their ongoing trade war.
— Nasdaq

Malaysia’s 2018 highest half-year Internet traffic peak touches 288Gbps, says MyIX
The Malaysia Internet Exchange’s (MyIX) highest bandwidth that traversed within the MyIX infrastructure has hit a new record 288Gbps in 2018.
— The Edge Markets

Optimism drives Malaysia national day campaigns
Amid a year of political upheaval and newfound optimism, local brands are examining what it means to be Malaysian in a new era with their annual national day campaigns.
— WARC

AirAsia to continue expanding footprint in China
AirAsia will continue expanding its footprint in China, while looking at increasing flight frequency across the country, despite the collapsed deal to establish a low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT).
— The Star Online

Bumiputera Congress bursts ‘New Malaysia’ bubble
The shocking pronouncements from the Bumiputera Congress that convened last weekend constitute the biggest let down to date since the Malaysian people voted for a “new Malaysia” with real reforms after 61 years of BN rule.
— Malaysia Kini

FGV waiting on lawyers to finalise recommendations
Felda Global Ventures (FGV) Holdings Bhd is expected to narrow down its investigations by year end.
— The Star Online

MH370 data incomplete and modified in final report
Data logs in the final report on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 issued in July are incomplete and modified, according to experts investigating the incident.
— New Straits Times

KLCI slips as Asian markets retreat ahead of Sept 5
Asian markets pulled back on Monday ahead of the Sept 5 deadline for public commentary on the US trade tariffs, following which the taxes are expected to go ahead as planned.
— The Star Online

Crackdown on undocumented Pinoys in Malaysia seen
The Philippine Embassy in Malaysia is ready to provide assistance to Filipinos who might be affected by an intensified crackdown on undocumented migrants.
— ABS-CBN

Regulatory, competitive pressures impact TM
Regulatory and competitive pressures have negatively impacted Telekom Malaysia Bhd’s (TM) outlook, with some analysts believing that these pressure will persist in the immediate term.
— The Borneo Post

Ringgit hits 10-month low to dollar amid emerging market currencies sell-off
The ringgit weakened as much as 0.54% to 4.1313 against the US dollar today following contagion effects from the sell-off in emerging market currencies and the escalating global trade tensions.
— The Sun Daily

Being in shock is not good, ex-AG tells MACC
The Attorney-General’s Chambers and law enforcement agencies should be on the same page, says former attorney-general Abu Talib Othman.
— FMT

Vertice joint-venture company wins RM815m contract in related party deal
Vertice Bhd’s 50:50 joint venture (JV) company with Vizione Holdings Bhd, Buildmarque Construction Sdn Bhd was awarded an RM815 million contract by Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd to undertake construction works for Package 2 of the Penang Mega Infrastructure Project.
— The Sun Daily

Malaysia must produce graduates with relevant skills, Rafidah says
Malaysia must produce graduates who are relevant to the demands of various fast-changing industries in order to enable the country to stay competitive, says Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz.
— Malay Mail

Droom to expand into Malaysia and Thailand
Indian automobile marketplace Droom is planning an international expansion. The company is due to enter Malaysia and Thailand soon.
— AIM Group

Malaysian mosques of remarkable architecture
For those intrigued by architecture and the aesthetics of religious places of worship, here is a selection of Malaysian mosques (in no particular order) that are visually appealing, architecturally significant or historically important.
— FMT

Feature photo Jason Thien

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Malaysia morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Malaysia news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.