Pro-opposition students protest outside Parliament

Protesters outside the Parliament with placards condemning Pakatan Harapan.

KUALA LUMPUR: A pro-opposition students group today gathered outside the Parliament building, demanding the Pakatan Harapan government to fulfil its five election promises including to write off debts under the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN).

The group called Gerakan Desak Janji PH (Desak) expressed disappointment with the 2020 Budget tabled last week as there was no mention on PTPTN.

They also demanded Putrajaya to provide one million job opportunities, increase minimum wage to RM2,500 and abolish tolls.

They said the government was always blaming the lack of funds on the previous administration.

“The government should not repeat the same mistakes and point fingers,” said Desak spokesman Mohd Zofries Zulhilmi Ruslee, who later handed over a memorandum to Kubang Kerian MP and PAS deputy president, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

He promised to raise the students’ concerns in the Dewan Rakyat.

We need bigger ships to face ‘giants’ in South China Sea, says Saifuddin

Foreign Affairs Minister Saifuddin Abdullah says Malaysian warships are ‘fewer and smaller in size’ compared to others patrolling the South China Sea. (Reuters pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign Affairs Minister Saifuddin Abdullah conceded today that Malaysia needs more naval assets to face the “giants” involved in disputes over the South China Sea.

He said Malaysia has placed boats to safeguard its waters but they are “fewer and smaller in size” compared to those of other nations.

“Our warships are a lot smaller than those from China’s Coast Guard,” he told Ismail Sabri Yaakob (Bera-BN) in the Dewan Rakyat.

Ismail Sabri had said China was being aggressive and their “presence can be felt in the East Coast”.

“As the trade war between the US and China escalates, will the US keep quiet over the Chinese presence in the South China Sea? Are we prepared if there is any conflict?” he asked.

Saifuddin said Putrajaya has asked China and the US not to increase their warships in the region.

“Last year, Chinese and US warships were as near as 50km (from Malaysian territorial waters). This is not a small matter,” he said.

He said Malaysia wants to carry out closer monitoring “but we are limited due to the assets we have in the region”.

Replying to an additional question by Ronald Kiandee (PH-Beluran) on Asean’s stand on militarisation in the South China Sea, Saifuddin said: “We want to make sure there is peace in the region, respect for international law and for any conflict settled in peace.”

Malaysians’ bank details exposed on govt petrol subsidy programme site?


Close to 2.9 million Malaysians are estimated to receive the petrol subsidy. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
Close to 2.9 million Malaysians are estimated to receive the petrol subsidy. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — Private banking details of Malaysians registered to receive fuel subsidies were reportedly disclosed on a government website up until this morning.

Popular tech blog Lowyat.net said it had conducted several tests using five different Mykad numbers on the BSH microsite yesterday and found that the complete personal bank account number came up instead of just the last four digits with the rest masked, as is supposed to be the case.

The original article under “Program Subsidi Petrol Microsite Found Disclosing Recipient’s Bank Account Details” has since been removed, including screenshots of the bank account details as shown on the petrol subsidy programme website provided by Lowyat.

Instead, the blog now posts this message: “We have received an update from the ministry regarding this issue. This content will be republished after the vulnerability has been fixed” in place of the earlier article.”

Malay Mail’s check on the subsidy website showed that the slip-up appears to have been fixed.

When contacted, a spokesman for the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry said it took note of the article and its allegations and will issue a statement later.

Lowyat previously said close to 2.9 million Malaysians are estimated to receive the petrol subsidy, noting that they are eligible as long as they have a vehicle registered in their name.

AirAsia Group tells airport operator to urgently fix long klia2 immigration lines


A man walks past a KLIA2 display in Sepang August 22, 2019. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
A man walks past a KLIA2 display in Sepang August 22, 2019. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) must immediately address the worsening congestion at immigration counters in klia2, said low-cost carrier AirAsia Malaysia and its long-haul counterpart AirAsia X Malaysia.

AirAsia chief executive officer Riad Asmat said the long queues for foreigners were now a daily occurrence and severe enough to cause some passengers to miss connections and appointments.

“As Malaysia gears up to welcome 30 million foreign tourists for Visit Malaysia 2020, the airport is the first encounter visitors have with the country, and it is shameful that their first experience of our country is one that showcases inefficiency and poor customer service,” he said in a statement.

Riad said the queues at Immigration counters could last for over an hour during peak periods such as between 3.00am and 7.00am, 2.00pm and 7.00pm, as well as 9.00pm and midnight.

AirAsia X chief executive officer Benyamin Ismail said the immigration congestion is due to klia2’s poor design and flawed configuration.

He said this was raised with MAHB before.

“We were given an assurance that adjustments would be made to extend immigration clearance into the area presently occupied by the duty-free outlets. However up to now we have not seen anything done to address the problem, and congestion has worsened daily, with some passengers having to endure long queues that stretch all the way back to the disembarkation gates.

“The Immigration Department has been very understanding and helpful, ensuring all counters are opened during peak periods. Aside from that, there is nothing much further they can do as the floor space and configuration at klia2, including the ability to add more counters and extend the queuing area falls under MAHB’s responsibility,” he said.

Both Riad and Benyamin then urged the Malaysian Aviation Commission to step in as the regulator and national aviation consumer protection body to ensure the issue is quickly resolved.

Isa thought hotel purchase was done deal as FIC board didn’t object, says witness

THE Kuala Lumpur High Court was told today that former Felda chairman Mohd Isa Abdul Samad had considered the proposed purchase of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites (MPHS) in Kuching, Sarawak, for RM160 million, had been agreed by Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd (FICSB) board of directors (BOD) as none of them objected to it.

Former FICSB company secretary Ruzeti Emar Mohd Rosli, 45, when reading out her witness statement, said at the 10th FICSB’s  BOD meeting on April 29, 2014, Isa asked the board members whether they agreed to it or not.

Staf UM sokong graduan protes naib canselor di pentas konvokesyen

Wong Yan Ke bercakap kepada media di luat Dewan Tunku Canselor UM, semalam.

PETALING JAYA: Persatuan Kakitangan Akademik Universiti Malaya (PKAUM) hari ini menyokong pelajar yang mencetuskan kontoversi menerusi protes pada majlis konvokesyen selepas penglibatan universiti itu dengan Kongres Maruah Melayu, baru-baru ini.

Dalam satu kenyataan, PKAUM berkata ia menyokong hak Wong Yan Ke mengemukakan ketidakpuasan hatinya tetapi tidak bersetuju dengan platform graduan itu gunakan untuk berbuat demikian.

Walaupun protes itu mencemarkan majlis untuk graduan dan keluarga mereka yang lain, PKAUM berkata, ia mungkin didorong oleh komuniti pelajar yang tidak berpuas hati dengan “banyak kesalahan dan salah tindakan naib canselor UM”.

Ia berkata naib canselor gagal mempromosikan toleransi dan perpaduan kaum di UM dengan melibatkan diri dalam penganjuran kongres itu pada 6 Okt di Shah Alam.

Ia juga bercakap mengenai kegagalan untuk “melepaskan diri daripada permainan ahli politik” yang dikatakan tidak akademik dan kegagalan untuk menjamin keselamatan dalam kebakaran yang didakwa berlaku di Fakulti Ekonomi UM pada 27 Ogos serta “pelbagai rompakan dan pecah rumah di kampus”.

Wong, seorang pelajar kejuruteraan awam yang membawa plakad di pentas majlis konvokesyen, Isnin lalu menuntut peletakan jawatan Naib Canselor UM Abdul Rahim Hashim.

Dia memberitahu FMT bantahannya terhadap Rahim dibuat kerana nama universiti itu digunakan untuk alasan perkauman dan politik sebagai salah sebuah daripada empat universiti yang menganjurkan Kongres Maruah Melayu.

Katanya, dia tidak bertindak sebarangan dan sudah mendapatkan pandangan dan nasihat pensyarah dan rakannya.

UM kemudian membuat laporan polis terhadap Wong, menuduhnya tidak menghormati istiadat, mengganggu protokol dan kelancaran majlis konvikesyen.

PKAUM menggesa UM mengambil tindakan segera untuk mengelakkan ketegangan daripada berkembang dalam kalangan kumpulan pelajar.

Ia juga menyelar tindakan menghalang seorang pelajar lain, Edan Kon, daripada menerima sijilnya di majlis konvokesyen semalam, mengatakan ia “benar-benar terkilan” pada “sasaran yang tidak adil” sedemikian.

Kon, seorang pelajar perakaunan percaya pentadbiran universiti bimbang dia akan melakukan tunjuk perasan sama seperti rakan universitinya, Wong.

Menegaskan dia tiada niat untuk berbuat demikian, katanya, universiti itu gagal menjelaskan mengapa dia dihalang.

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