Lim said 14 plots of land owned by the Federal Lands Commissioner were sold throughout Kuala Lumpur and two in Selangor from 2010 to September 2019. — Picture by Hari Anggara
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — The Finance Ministry has refuted allegations that the Pakatan Harapan government has sold land owned by it since assuming power on May 8, 2018.
Its Minister Lim Guan Eng said at the same time, land worth more than RM4 billion was sold by the former government between 2010 and 2017.
“Also, much of the government land sale during this period was undertaken via direct negotiations and not on the basis of open tenders,’”he said in a statement here today.’
Fourteen plots of land owned by the Federal Lands Commissioner were sold throughout Kuala Lumpur and two in Selangor from 2010 to September 2019.
Meanwhile, Lim said the business of divestments and disposal of non-core and non-critical assets of the country was under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Department, aimed at rebalancing government portfolio and realigning the role of the public sector. — Bernama
The weakening of yuan has a negative impact on the local note’s performance.
KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit opened slightly lower against the US dollar for a third consecutive day on subdued sentiment amid a weaker yuan, said a dealer.
Axi Trader Asia-Pacific market strategist Stephen Innes said the weaker yuan on the back of the negative trade war has weakened the ringgit, which is now in the range of a critical 4.20 level.
At 9.05am, the local note was at 4.1950/1980 against the greenback from Tuesday’s close of 4.1920/1950.
“The overall international focus remains squarely on the trade talks, and if they end in a contentious affair, the yuan could weaken towards the 4.20 level, which should be sufficient enough to pull the local note towards the 4.21-22 level against the greenback,” he told Bernama.
However, Innes said Budget 2020 are keeping local investors appetite in check.
Meanwhile, the local unit traded mostly higher against other major currencies.
It rose against the Singapore dollar to 3.0355/0381 from 3.0381/0407 but versus the Japanese yen, fell to 3.9169/9008 from 3.9148/9187.
The ringgit strengthened against the British pound to 5.1246/1287 from 5.1327/1380 and appreciated vis-a-vis the euro to 4.5960/6010 from 4.6058/6107.
Copies of the Utusan Malaysia newspaper at a stall in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur December 22, 2018. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — Utusan Malaysia, the nation’s oldest Malay language daily, will officially cease operations today, after a prolonged financial crisis that saw its workers protest it over unpaid wages.
Its publisher, Utusan Melayu Bhd, sent out a circular to inform employees that its board of directors approved on October 7 the creditors’ voluntary liquidation and appointed UHY Advisory KL as its interim liquidator.
Malay Mail obtained a copy of the circular from an employee of the newspaper.
“The company had tried to sell the group and company’s assets for funding and to obtain sufficient cash flow.
“However, the daily distribution of Utusan Malaysia and Kosmo! continued dwindling and the failure to hit the RM4 million monthly advertising revenue placed Utusan’s cash flow in a critical state.
“Therefore, the company will cease operations effective Wednesday, October 9, 2019,” the circular said.
US President Donald Trump yesterday warned Turkey against going too far in Syria, a day after giving Ankara the green light to invade its southern neighbour and sparking panic among Washington’s Kurdish allies.
The US pulled back 50 to 100 “special operators” from Syria’s northern frontier, where they had served as a buffer between the Turkish military and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), after Trump’s surprise announcement in advance of an expected operation ordered by Ankara.
FORMER 1Malaysia Development Bhd CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi today conceded that he may have been hired to lead the entity in 2009 due to his inexperience in financial matters.
Shahrol was appointed as chief executive of 1MDB’s precursor, the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), on March 23, 2009, based on the recommendation of Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad answers questions in Parliament October 8, 2019. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today defended his comments about the conflict in Jammu and Kashmir, which were critical of India during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last month.
Speaking to the press today, the Langkawi MP said that his remarks were simply an extension of his private exchange with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when the two met in Vladivostok, Russia.
He added that Malaysia is not taking sides in the conflict.
“We must know how to manage this problem. If we do not criticise, and (by the way), our criticism does not side with anyone.
“Just demanding that both parties negotiate and not use violence. That has always been our policy. Do not use violence and instead, negotiate, or go for arbitration or go to the court of law.
“This is what I raised to Modi, when I met him at Vladivostok, and my speech is an extension of our stand, that we do not want to see violence erupt. Instead, any dispute, conflict among nations must be settled via negotiation, arbitration or court of law,” he added.
Dr Mahathir acknowledged that his remarks could be viewed negatively by the country criticised.
When asked if he expected any repercussions to Malaysia’s trade with India, Dr Mahathir replied in the negative.
He was asked to comment on the possible repercussions from the #BoycottMalaysia movement started by Twitter users in India.
The hashtag began trending after Dr Mahathir spoke about the need to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir conflict in his speech during the 74th UNGA.
Users of the hashtag have been urging Indian citizens not to travel to Malaysia and complained about the government’s interference in India’s internal affairs.
Indian Army personnel numbering in the tens of thousands have been deployed in the region, disputed by India and Pakistan, with curfews imposed, political leaders arrested and disabling telecommunications and Internet services.
Jammu and Kashmir have seen increased unrest in the wake of a presidential decree on August 5, which removed the Muslim-majority state’s constitutionally-guaranteed special status and rights.
M Kayveas (kanan) menunjukkan logo terbaru PPP di ibu pejabat parti itu di Kuala Lumpur pada 27 November 2015. Turut hadir Maglin Dennis D’cruz (tengah) yang merupakan naib presiden kanan PPP ketika itu dan Ahli Majlis Tertinggi, Dass R. (Gambar Bernama)
PETALING JAYA: Bekas parti komponen Barisan Nasional (BN), myPPP mungkin berpeluang diaktifkan semula kira-kira 10 bulan selepas pendaftarannya dibatalkan Jabatan Pendaftaran Pertubuhan Malaysia (JPPM) susulan kemelut kepimpinan parti itu.
Sumber berkata, Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) bersetuju dengan rayuan parti itu untuk mengkaji semula pembatalan pendaftarannya.
Difahamkan, JPPM yang terletak di bawah KDN sudah meminta puak bertelagah menyelesaikan pertikaian mereka melalui pihak ketiga yang bebas.
“Kedua-dua puak bersetuju melantik pihak ketiga dan mereka perlu memaklumkan JPPM secepat mungkin,” kata sumber itu kepada FMT.
MyPPP yang merupakan parti berbilang kaum dengan sebahagian besar ahlinya berbangsa India, dahulu dikenali sebagai Parti Progresif Penduduk, dibatalkan pendaftarannya susulan perebutan kuasa antara M Kayveas dan Maglin Dennis D’Cruz, di mana kedua-duanya mendakwa diri ialah presiden sah.
Maglin kemudiannya bertindak menyingkirkan Kayveas sebagai presiden tahun lalu melalui keputusan sebulat suara dalam Perhimpunan Agung myPPP ke-64 beberapa hari selepas Pilihan Raya umum ke-14.
Puak Maglin mendakwa Kayveas melanggar perlembagaan parti dengan membuat keputusan mengenai PRU14 tanpa berunding dengan Majlis Tertinggi parti.
Sumber memberitahu FMT, kedua-dua puak perlu mencapai persetujuan bersama untuk menyelesaikan pertikaian mereka.
“Jika pemilihan semula dicadangkan sebagai penyelesaiannya, maka pihak ketiga akan ditugaskan untuk mengendalikan pengundian.
“Jika mereka tidak mematuhi syarat ditetapkan, pendaftaran myPPP akan kekal terbatal,” kata sumber sambil menambah kedua-dua puak diberi masa sehingga akhir tahun ini untuk tampil dengan satu penyelesaian.
KUALA LUMPUR: Perdana Menteri Dr Mahathir Mohamad hari ini menolak cadangan yang menggesanya menubuhkan kerajaan baru bersama Barisan Nasional (BN), PAS serta rakan dari Sabah dan Sarawak.
Mahathir berkata, Malaysia adalah negara yang mempunyai pelbagai kaum sejak ia mencapai kemerdekaan 62 tahun lalu.
“Negara kita berbilang kaum. Dan semua kaum punyai hak dalam negara kita,” katanya dalam satu sidang media di lobi Parlimen, hari ini.
Beliau berkata demikian mengulas kenyataan Timbalan Presiden Umno Mohamad Hasan yang menyebutkan Mahathir boleh menubuhkan kerajaan baru sekiranya pemimpin itu benar-benar ikhlas mahu menjaga martabat dan maruah orang Melayu.
Menerusi kenyataan di Facebok, Mohamad berkata Umno dan PAS harus diberi peranan signifikan dalam memulihkan negara ini, bukan sekadar menjadi penumpang sehingga menjejaskan kepentingan Islam dan masyarakat Melayu serta pribumi lain.
“Buat masa ini pisau dan mentimun di tangan Mahathir. Tetapi bila tiba pilihan raya akan datang, pisau ini sudah ditangan rakyat.
“InsyaAllah jika Mahathir jujur dan mahu melihat Melayu/Islam menjadi kuasa politik yang kuat, beliau tiada masalah berkompromi dengan Umno dan PAS,” katanya.
Ahad lalu, penganjuran Kongres Maruah Melayu dihadiri pemimpin Umno, PAS dan Pakatan Harapan diketuai Mahathir yang mengetepikan perbezaan politik demi matlamat lebih besar dalam usaha mengembalikan martabat bangsa di Malaysia yang merupakan kaum majoriti.
Antara pemimpin hadir adalah Presiden PAS Abdul Hadi Awang, Setiausaha Agung Umno Annuar Musa, bekas naib presiden Umno Hishammuddin Hussien dan Ahli Majlis Tertinggi Umno Noh Omar, bekas ketua Pemuda Umno Khairy Jamaluddin, Presiden Amanah Mohamad Sabu dan Timbalan Presiden PKR, Mohamed Azmin Ali.
