DAP MP urges Putrajaya to rethink new EPF mechanism plan
Cha Kee Chin (Harapan-Rasah) said the idea being proposed under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) has received strong pushback from the rakyat.
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New Straits Times
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Afnan says Pasti teachers serve voluntarily despite low pay
KUALA LUMPUR: Alor Setar member of Parliament Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden has defended the Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti) pre-school system against claims of unfair treatment of teachers, saying their allowances were for voluntary positions and should not be compared to private sector salaries. Afnan told the Dewan Rakyat that Pasti teachers agreed to serve despite knowing they would not receive high pay due to low fees. "They are not robots — they willingly contribute their energy to help our children learn ABC and 'alif ba ta'," he said, adding that Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad should thank them for supporting the preschool education ecosystem. Nik Nazmi had criticised the RM600 to RM700 monthly pay for over 9,500 Pasti teachers, calling it a breach of the minimum wage law. He said the voluntary role justification was unacceptable under the National Wages Consultative Council (Amendment) Act 2025 and claimed the practice denied them Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) contributions. Afnan countered that Pasti teachers could contribute to EPF via the i-Sara scheme and were covered under the self-employed social security scheme. He urged the government to focus on allowances for Kafa teachers, Takmir teachers and imams, which he said remained below the minimum wage.
New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Inquest into Zara Qairina's death must be expedited as questions mount, says MP
KUALA LUMPUR: The government has been urged to hold an inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir, an opposition MP told the Dewan Rakyat. Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden (PN-Alor Star) said the inquest was necessary to identify those responsible, as the cause of her death and the identity of the perpetrators remained unanswered nearly a month after the incident. "Zara is not only the child of her parents, but the child of all Malaysians who want justice for her still unanswered death," he said during his debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan in the Dewan Rakyat. Afnan also proposed the appointment of full-time hostel wardens who are not schoolteachers, safety audits at schools with a high incidence of bullying, installation of CCTV cameras, the drafting of anti-bullying legislation, and the immediate formation of a special cabinet committee on bullying. The fifth measure, he said, was to create an online complaint platform that could be accessed by schools, police, and other relevant agencies. "What exactly happened? "Who are the perpetrators being protected?" he asked, adding that the issue had undermined public trust in schools, which should instead inspire confidence. He said that national development and economic progress would be meaningless if moral values among those responsible for carrying out such plans continued to deteriorate. Yesterday, the Inspector-General of Police Secretariat's Corporate Communications Unit confirmed that a task force comprising federal police CID personnel has taken over the investigation into Zara's death. Zara, a Form One student of a secondary school in Papar, Sabah, was reported to have fallen from the third floor of a dormitory. She was found unconscious in a drain on July 16 and later died while receiving treatment at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital (HQE) in Kota Kinabalu. On July 31, Sabah police chief Datuk Jauteh Dikun said that the possibility of bullying as a factor had not been ruled out. On Saturday, Zara's grave was exhumed in preparation for a post-mortem. On Sunday, the post-mortem was conducted at HQE, lasting about eight hours from 11am to 7.30pm.
New Straits Times
7 hours ago
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Bursa Malaysia settles higher thanks to morning rally
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia ended higher, building on its morning gains despite easing in the afternoon session. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was up 0.30 per cent, or 4.66 points, to 1,567.90 from Monday's close of 1,563.24. Market breadth was positive, with 513 gainers outpacing 477 losers, while 507 counters were unchanged. UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd head of investment research Mohd Sedek Jantan said the morning rally briefly lifted the index to 1,572.42 points. This was driven by optimism after US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day extension to the suspension of higher tariffs on Chinese goods, extending the reprieve into early November. "In our view, investors are beginning to see the market as less disorderly, with a measure of improved policy clarity following incremental progress in US trade negotiations. "However, momentum moderated after the midday break, with the index paring earlier gains but still finishing above its opening level. "The six-day winning streak reflects renewed investor interest in Malaysian equities, supported by the fiscal and policy impetus from the 13th Malaysia Plan and the recent reduction in US tariffs from 25 per cent to 19 per cent," he said. Sedek noted that among FBM KLCI constituents, consumer and plantation stocks were the main drivers of the gains, while telecommunications counters trailed. He said 11 index components recorded gains of over one per cent in today's session, reflecting selective strength even though the broader index ended largely unchanged. "The softer afternoon tone was largely the result of profit-taking, as market participants locked in gains after a strong run that had already delivered meaningful returns," he added.
