PAC to continue MAHB hearings
KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will proceed with its hearings on the management of public airports despite the privatisation of Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB) on Feb 22.
PAC chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said eight proceedings have been held since the inquiry began on Feb 17.
"On June 3 and 4, PAC recalled several witnesses from the Employees Provident Fund and Khazanah Nasional Bhd to clarify matters and provide testimony on issues raised in earlier proceedings," she said in a statement today.
MAHB is now fully owned by the Gateway Development Alliance (GDA), led by Khazanah Nasional.
Witnesses included former EPF chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Badri Mohd Zahir, EPF head of investment Rohaya Mohammad Yusof, Khazanah Nasional board director Goh Ching Yin and Khazanah Nasional executive director Wong Shu Hsien.
PAC exercised its powers under Standing Order 77(1)(d) and 83(2) of the Dewan Rakyat, Treasury Directive 301 (Amendment) 2023 and Section 5(3)(d) of General Circular No. 1 of 2024 on the Organisation of Ministries and the Prime Minister's Department.
PAC will also hold proceedings from June 17 to 19 to examine the rising cost of health insurance premiums, private hospital charges and their impact on public healthcare.
Witnesses will include representatives from Bank Negara Malaysia, the Health Ministry, insurance companies, third-party administrators, the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia and the Malaysian Medical Council.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
17 hours ago
- The Star
US visa hurdles put international students on edge
BEIJING: Instead of the anticipated F-1 visa, a Chinese student received a green slip on Wednesday morning at the United States embassy in Beijing, initiating a waiting period of "about two weeks" for a decision that could affirm or upend his plan to start a master's program in the US in August. Chris Yang, a senior English major at Beijing Foreign Studies University, received an offer from the University of Pennsylvania for a dual degree in social policy and public administration. The atmosphere during the interview was notably more tense than it was two years ago when he was preparing to participate in an exchange program in the US, Yang recalled. He said that on Wednesday, the visa officer asked only two questions: "Which school will you be attending?" and "What did you do in the US last year?" Yang explained that he had taken part in an exchange program at the University of California, Berkeley and later went on a holiday trip to visit a friend and attend a concert. "The visa officer was typing on the computer the whole time. He then took my passport and gave me a green slip, saying they needed additional administrative review," he recounted, adding that he was told to expect an update in about two weeks. "My majors are not generally considered sensitive. In the past, visas for these fields were almost always approved without issue, while engineering students or PhD candidates were more likely to face visa hurdles," he said. Recent US visa policies, including President Donald Trump's previous calls to pause visa interviews and scrutinize social media accounts, might be influencing the current climate, he added. On May 27, the US halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for international students seeking to study in the country, aiming to expand the screening of their social media activity. As Yang had scheduled his visa interview days before the announcement, he was able to attend it in early June while new appointments were on hold. He expressed concern over broader US rhetoric regarding the potential revocation of Chinese student visas. "I don't have a plan B, like a gap year or studying in another country. All my master's applications were to US universities," he said. Yang's experience shed light on the growing anxiety among Chinese students amid shifting US policies toward international students. On Thursday morning, a group chat on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, sparked a heated discussion about Trump's executive order on Wednesday to restrict foreign student visas at Harvard University. The move temporarily blocks nearly all new Harvard students from entering the US on the types of visas most international students use for university study or academic exchange programmes. Following the order, Chinese students — most of whom are currently studying at or preparing to attend Harvard — expressed shock and anxiety over the new visa policy in the "Harvard F-1 Student Support Group", a Xiaohongshu group created to share information and advice about overseas study. Two Chinese students — holding F-1 and J-1 visas and not in their first year — claimed they were on a flight from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to Boston in the US when they learned about the new policy, but they were able to enter the country smoothly on Thursday afternoon. Meanwhile, some first-year students scheduled to travel to the US in the coming days said in the group chat that they had made emergency calls to Harvard International Office and were advised not to travel amid the uncertainty. "Please inform us in the group if anyone successfully enters," one student said. In response to the order, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Thursday that China has consistently opposed the politicization of educational cooperation. The US actions in this regard will only harm its own image and international credibility, Lin said. "We will firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students and scholars overseas," he said. The visa suspension is the latest in a series of new policies recently announced by the US. Late last month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the country would begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students, particularly those studying in "critical fields". Chen Zhiwen, a member of the Chinese Society of Educational Development Strategy, said that revoking and restricting visas for Chinese students is one of the key strategies the US uses to contain China. The US recognised that as long as China has talent, technological decoupling would be temporary, so it is simultaneously pursuing a talent containment strategy, he added. Liu Wei, senior vice-president of New Channel International Education Group and CEO of its overseas study division, said the US has long been highly vigilant about the risks of technology transfer. With technological competition intensifying, there is a more cautious approach toward certain groups of international students, Liu said. Currently, the policies primarily target students with backgrounds in science and engineering, especially in fields such as artificial intelligence, aerospace, quantum computing, electronic engineering and biotechnology. Students with family backgrounds in scientific research or the defense industry may also face more stringent scrutiny. Liu suggested that parents and students should carefully consider alternative plans — such as preparing for a potential gap year or exploring other countries with relatively stable visa policies — in case studying in the US is obstructed or delayed. According to experts, the future of Chinese student enrollment in the US will be shaped by a complex interplay of factors including visa policies, international relations and the comparative quality of education systems. "If the US maintains stringent visa regulations, the current downward trend in enrollment may continue, with a shift toward nonsensitive majors and a more selective student body," Liu said. Moreover, as global education systems improve and other countries implement policies to attract international students, the competition may prompt further changes in the number of Chinese students choosing the US — even if visa policies stabilize, he added. - China Daily/ANN
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Malay Mail
KLIA Aerotrain back on track? Transport minister says media to get ‘first hand look' next week
SEPANG, June 5 — Transport Minister Anthony Loke today said he will provide an update next week on the progress of the new Aerotrain service at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). He said the media will be given a tour of the upgraded train service before it goes into operation. 'We will invite you (the media) to KLIA next week to take a first-hand look,' Loke said after the groundbreaking ceremony of the Selangor Aero Park here. The KLIA Aerotrain service is slated to resume in the second quarter (Q2) of this year. Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) Managing Director Datuk Mohd Izani Ghani previously said several technical aspects need to be resolved before the relaunch to ensure the system runs smoothly and complies with all safety requirements. The Aerotrain, a key component of KLIA's internal transport system since 1998, was suspended in March 2023 following a breakdown. The new Aerotrain system is expected to improve the passenger experience, reduce operational disruptions, and support the anticipated increase in air passenger traffic in the coming years. — Bernama
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Selangor Aero Park unmatched in Asean region for space, says Loke
SEPANG: The Selangor Aero Park (SAP) will complement Malaysia's aspirations to become a leading air cargo hub in the Asean region, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke. "We have the recipe and preconditions said to be unmatched by any other country in the Asean region because KLIA spans 100 sq km. With this space, various plans can be implemented," he said. Loke said there are three parallel runways in KLIA at present, with the potential to construct up to five runways. "There are no other airports in Asean with this space and we also have very good connectivity. "We want to turn KLIA into the main air cargo hub in Asean." said Loke. Loke also said SAP, an effort between MAHB and Mentri Besar Selangor Incorporated (MBI), will become a specific industry zone that targets companies in the aerospace manufacturing and supply chain sector. "This includes the manufacturing of aircraft components and related technology, as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services," he said. Also present during the press conference was Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, who said that GE Aerospace would be the launch tenant at SAP after it secured 100 acres of land in its first phase. "The first day, we are booked by 50%. This is a very good sign for the future," added Amirudin. He also said several MRO companies are in talks to operate with SAP. The SAP is a key component of the Malaysian Aerospace Industry Blueprint 2030 to generate RM55.2bil in annual aerospace revenue and create over 32,000 high-income jobs by 2030. Spanning about 600 acres within the KLIA aeropolis, the park has a potential gross development value (GDV) of RM2.3bil. The first phase of the SAP spans 200 acres and approximately 400 acres will be progressively released beyond 2028 in accordance with infrastructure readiness and investor demand.
