Malaysia Morning News For February 20

Malaysia to end bauxite mining ban despite environment fears
Malaysia will next month lift a ban on bauxite mining that has been in place for three years, a minister said Tuesday (Feb 19), despite warnings the move may cause serious environmental damage.
— Channel NewsAsia

Putrajaya launches national wage index for productivity, wage benchmark
The first National Wage Index (NWI) was launched by Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran today, the culmination of a study that has taken the better part of two years at least.
— Malay Mail

Malaysia property market to see ‘further stagnation’ in 2019 — Rahim & Co
Property consultant Rahim & Co expects 2019 to be a year of further stagnation for the property market in Malaysia, before any meaningful recovery can be seen in one to two years’ time from now.
— The Edge Markets

Grab Malaysia deeply concerned over agencies’ lack of readiness to regulate industry
E-hailing company Grab Malaysia says it is “deeply concerned” by the lack of readiness of certain agencies to facilitate the industry towards compliance.
— The Star Online

Malaysia’s EPF upbeat on insurance sector growth
Malaysia’s Employees Provident Fund (EPF) is weighing its options to invest in foreign-owned insurers operating in the country.
— Insurance Business Mag

Sabah hits record-breaking tourism numbers
Sabah’s tourism industry registered its highest-ever tourism receipts last year, booking RM8.342 billion from a record-high 3.879 million arrivals.
— Malay Mail

Malaysia arrests man suspected of punching, kicking woman in MRT lift robbery
Malaysian police have arrested a man suspected of attacking and robbing a woman in a lift at the Taman Mutiara Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station in Cheras district.
— Channel NewAsia

Malaysia nearing deal with China to revive scrapped ECRL, reports Bloomberg
Malaysia is making progress in talks with China to revive a high-speed rail project that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s government said it would cancel, according to Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
— The Star Online

Visa launches first mobile concierge app in Malaysia
Visa Inc has launched Malaysia’s first concierge mobile app that enables affluent Visa cardholders to access a host of concierge services on their mobile phone which is downloadable on iOS App Store and Google Android Store.
— The Edge Markets

Malaysia start with a bang while Thailand scrape past China
The first day of the ICC Women’s Asia Qualifier 2019 will be remembered for two contrasting victories. Malaysia enjoyed a comfortable 63-run win over Kuwait, while Thailand, despite earning victory by six wickets against China, defeated their opponents with just one ball to spare.
— ICC Cricket

Western firms turning to Malaysia amid trade war
Western companies, facing uncertainties caused by the US-China trade war, are looking for alternative sources of supply, and turning their attention to countries in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, whose intellectual property protection ranking has improved.
— Daily Express

Government considering allowing refugees into public schools, hospitals
Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah says the government is considering plans to allow refugees access to public schools hospitals and the workforce.
— FMT

Malaysia gets on-demand home caregiving services platform
According to a recent report, a caregiving services platform that melds qualified care professionals with smart technology to provide on-demand home caregiving for seniors, officially launched in Malaysia.
— OpenGovAsia

Malaysia Prepaid Cards Business and Investment Opportunities, Market Size and Forecast 2014-2019 & 2023
The “Malaysia Prepaid Cards Business and Investment Opportunities – Market Size and Forecast (2014-2023), Consumer Attitude & Behaviour, Retail Spend, Market Risk” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.
— Globe News Wire

Back on track? Malaysia is in ‘last mile’ of talks with China to revive East Coast Rail deal that Mahathir Mohamad ‘scrapped’
Malaysia is making progress in talks with China to revive a high-speed rail project that Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s government said it would cancel, according to Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.
— South China Morning Post

Malaysia ‘doing better’ than China, India in philanthropy
Malaysia is ‘doing better’ in the philanthropy and social investment sector, judging by the performance of 15 Asian countries in the Doing Good Index (DGI).
— Borneo Bulletin

Northport, Sojitz and NL Cold Chain to build Malaysia-Japan halal logistics network
Northport (Malaysia) Bhd, Sojitz (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and NL Cold Chain Network (M) Sdn Bhd plan to establish the Malaysia-Japan halal value chain initiative.
— New Straits Times

Same Old Story In Sarawak
A few re-alignments have been made on the federal front, but following May 9th, business has continued as usual in Sarawak, the only state not to hold its local elections at the same time.
— Sarawak Report

Property market to remain flat in 2019: Rahim & Co
The property market is expected to remain flat this year before picking up again next year, said Rahim & Co International Sdn Bhd.
— The Sun Daily

SJPP launches RM2 billion special govt guarantee scheme for SMEs
Syarikat Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan Bhd (SJPP) yesterday launched RM2 billion special government guarantee scheme to help the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) leap towards Industry 4.0.
— The Borneo Post

Shopee: More men are getting their products online
Shopee, Southeast Asia and Taiwan’s leading e-commerce platform, is seeing an increase in male shoppers’ activity on its app as more males are getting their products online.
— The Star Online

Common standards needed to globalise Islamic finance
Malaysia supports Qatar Financial Centre’s proposal to have common platforms and technology with other nations to serve the US$2 trillion global Islamic finance market.
— New Straits Times

SunCon bags RM781mil TNB campus job
Sunway Construction Group Bhd (SunCon) has secured a contract from Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) to develop a campus along Jalan Bangsar here for RM781.3 million.
— New Straits Times

Pheim Asset Management bullish on tech, semiconductor sectors
Pheim Asset Management Sdn Bhd is bullish on the technology and semiconductor sectors.
— The Sun Daily

Penang chasing April nod for three-island reclamation project
Penang state exco Jagdeep Singh Deo is pushing for the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project to be tabled at the National Physical Planning Council (NPPC) this April.
— Malay Mail

AirAsia Group meets EPF, open to talks with MAHB
AirAsia Group Bhd (AAGB) held a meeting with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) on Tuesday over its ongoing spat with Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB).
— The Star Online

Transport minister defends aide in RTM row, questions part omission of ‘live’ event
Anthony Loke came to the defence of his press secretary Lim Swee Kuan whose strident criticism of state-owned broadcaster RTM in a Facebook post drew backlash after it was reported.
— Malay Mail

Residential property prices to consolidate, says Rahim & Co
Prices of residential properties are expected to continue to consolidate this year and 2020, according to Rahim & Co. International Sdn Bhd research director Sulaiman Saheh
— The Star Online

Stalking, prying to be made criminal offences, says law minister
Stalkers, peeping Toms and those who pry into the lives of others risk legal action and punishment once the proposed legislation on the matter is approved this year.
— FMT

Shake-up in Malaysia media firms after BN loses power
Malaysia’s media companies, already reeling from an exodus of readers and advertisers who have flocked to alternative platforms online, are now wobbling from the upheavals that followed the toppling from power last May of the long-ruling Barisan Nasional (BN).
— The Straits Times

Oil and gas sector hires more local graduates, trims forex losses
Skilled local workforce has helped major oil and gas (O&G) cushion the global weak oil prices, ringgit fluctuations and foreign exchange (forex losses) over the past few years.
— New Straits Times

Boustead to dispose Royale Chulan Bukit Bintang Hotel for RM197mil
Boustead Holdings Bhd (BHB) via its wholly-owned subsidiary Boustead Hotels & Resorts Sdn Bhd (BHR), will dispose its Royale Chulan Bukit Bintang Hotel located in Kuala Lumpur for RM197 million.
— New Straits Times

Free storybooks for McDonald’s Malaysia customers with every Happy Meal purchase
McDonald’s Malaysia today launched its Happy Meal Readers programme in an effort to create a passion for reading among young Malaysians.
— Malay Mail

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