Kyrgyz President meets Malaysian company officials, discusses investment opportunities
The meeting session, which lasted for over an hour, also witnessed four document exchange ceremonies between Malaysian companies and the republic, involving sectors such as mining and livestock.
Also present at the session were Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Liew Chin Tong and Deputy Minister of Works Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, representing Minister of Works Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. The meeting was also attended by representatives from government agencies such as the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), the Halal Development Council (HDC), and the Malaysia-Kyrgyz Business Council.
Various Malaysian companies from different sectors participated in the meeting, including Citagold Bhd, Public Gold, Avia Dinamika Sdn Bhd, Platinum Greenhaven (M) Sdn Bhd, and Kawan Food Bhd.
Earlier, Zhaparov, who arrived in Malaysia yesterday for a two-day official visit, was given an official welcome at the Perdana Putra Complex today, followed by a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Zhaparov later visited the Malaysian Parliament, accompanied by Minister of Works Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, spending nearly an hour in meetings with the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, Tan Sri Johari Abdul, and the Speaker of the Senate, Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah.
In 2024, the Kyrgyz Republic was Malaysia's fourth largest trading partner among Central Asian countries, with a bilateral trade value of RM40 million (US$8.74 million).
Malaysia's main exports to the republic included electrical and electronic products, palm oil, palm oil-based agricultural products, and machinery.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Lianson Fleet buys vessel for RM56mil
PETALING JAYA: Lianson Fleet Group Bhd (formerly Icon Offshore Bhd ) has acquired a vessel, the MV Moana BAQ, from LT Princess Shipping Co Ltd for US$13.25mil (RM55.95mil). In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, the marine logistics service provider said the vessel is a Panama-flagged Supramax bulk carrier built in 2012 with a deadweight tonnage of 56,625 tonnes, gross tonnage of 32,964, and net tonnage of 19,142. The company said the vessel acquisition is in line with its strategy to diversify beyond the offshore support vessels (OSV) sector and strengthen recurring income streams through other vessel asset classes with long-term charter potential, thereby enhancing earnings visibility and reducing reliance on the group's OSV segment.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Oil price smile now could leave traders in tears later on
A glaring mismatch between benchmark oil prices and expectations of a looming supply overhang has created an imbalance that could end badly for traders. Major energy forecasting agencies, banks and producers expect oil supplies to far outstrip demand through the coming months and well into next year due to both an expected slowdown in demand growth and sharp production increases from Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and other major producers including the United States, Canada, Brazil and Argentina. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects global oil production will climb by 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) to 105.5 million bpd this year, then by another 1.9 million bpd in next year, with a whopping 4.1 million bpd jump expected for Q1 2026. And the US Energy Information Administration also expects sizeable stock builds this year and next. Meanwhile, global consumption is expected to be only 103.74 million bpd this year and 104.44 million bpd next year. In response, spot Brent crude prices have already softened, sliding from over US$73 a barrel on July 30 to just under US$66 this week, also reflecting the waning summer oil demand in the northern hemisphere. But the longer end of the futures curve is telling a different story. In the oil market – as in other big commodity spaces – participants can buy contracts for future delivery months or years ahead, letting producers, refiners, consumers and speculators either hedge or bet on price moves. The forward curve reflects those expectations and comes in two flavours. Backwardation – when prompt prices sit above future prices – usually signals a tightening market and nudges producers to pump more. And contango – future prices above prompt levels – normally points to oversupply, incentivising storage over drilling activity. Given that a chorus of experts is calling for significant oversupply in today's oil patch, you'd expect Brent's forward curve to be steeply in contango through next year. Instead, it's in pronounced backwardation from the prompt October contract out to March 2026, then largely flat to September 2026 before swinging into strong contango. The result: a forward curve 'smile'. That shape is rare and puzzling. If a sizeable overhang is indeed barrelling down on the market, traders would very likely need to store more crude in tanks or, in a pinch, even on ships in the coming months. This means that a strong price correction may be coming. What could be driving this mismatch between prices and forecasts? One explanation could be that investors expect Opec to step in if necessary. The group, which includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and other producers, has sharply increased output since April when it started unwinding 2.2 million bpd of supply cuts, part of a series of cuts introduced since 2022 to prop up prices. The move, led by Opec's de-facto leader Saudi Arabia, was aimed at re-establishing cohesion within the group after several members exceeded production quotas. Riyadh's push to pump more crude also appears to be aimed at increasing its own production share in the global market by squeezing higher-cost producers around the world, such as US shale producers. So even though Opec could reintroduce cuts in the fourth quarter to head off a swelling glut, that belief seems like quite a stretch. First, members that have ploughed capital into new capacity in recent months may balk at having to quickly reverse course. New cuts would also undercut Saudi efforts to claw back market share. And slashing supply risks lifting prices, precisely what US President Donald Trump has urged Opec to avoid. Maybe geopolitical confusion explains the smile as investors are struggling to price Trump's trade wars and the sprawl of on-and-off tariffs that – at some point – are likely to sap manufacturing and trade flows, clipping oil demand at the margins. Meanwhile, investors also have to factor in the potential tightening of US and European Union sanctions on Russia and Iran. Trump's threat of secondary sanctions on buyers of Russian crude – particularly China and India – could certainly scramble global trade. And yet, geopolitical jitters are hardly new to oil markets, and they certainly can't fully explain the curve's grin. Finally, it could simply be that traders don't believe the market forecasts. But even if that's the case, the stubborn disconnect should make them nervous, particularly given all the unknowns. If the IEA's overhang materialises, the math argues for inventory builds and a forward curve tipping into contango. So traders need to watch out. This deepening smile could well end in tears. — Reuters Ron Bousso is a columnist for Reuters. The views expressed here are the writer's own.
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Wednesday (Aug 20, 2025)
Malaysia * No Malaysians will be marginalised, says Anwar * TikTok user charged with making false statement about PM * PSM claims its deputy chairman Arutchelvan arrested by police * Parliamentary committee to table statement on bullying in school next week * Ismail Sabri denies any link to attack on Rafizi's son * Sarawak's internet coverage increased to 91.93% under Jendela, says Fahmi * More items exempted under SST than GST, says Finance Ministry * New permit path being drafted to help separated foreign spouses stay with Malaysian kids, says Saifuddin * Online scam cases show no decline despite campaigns, says Saifuddin Nasution * Cabinet to discuss proposed cyberbullying tribunal on Friday, says PM * Zara Qairina case: Five teens arrive at KK court face bullying charge * PM to review Umno protest over ex-members joining Unity Government parties * Zara Qairina case: Leave it to the courts, not social media, says Saifuddin * Jana Wibawa case: Segambut Bersatu deputy chief acquitted of all 12 charges * Proceedings pauses before pleas in Zara Qairina bullying case * 3,367 foreign nationals held, investigated by Selangor immigration in first half of the year * MACC cripples tobacco smuggling syndicates * National Artificial Intelligence Action Plan near completion, says Gobind * Jobless man jailed five years, fined for setting fire to JB city tow truck * Malaysia to retain ND6, ND7 terminology for oil and gas blocks, not Ambalat * Zara Qairina case: Teens plead not guilty to bullying charge * IGP Mohd Khalid's appointment followed due process, says Home Ministry * Court issues gag order on Zara's bullying case * Malaysia needs 100,000 more engineers, says Nanta * Anti-bullying Act proposal to be presented to Cabinet soon, says Azalina * Further investigations underway into 'Geng Budak Sekolah' involving minors * Digital Ministry to soft launch MyGov app for key govt services on Aug 23, seeks public feedback * Form Four schoolgirl claims she has been bullied since May, say Melaka cops * Suhakam calls for formation of dedicated anti-bullying portal * Insurance agent remanded five days for allegedly abetting RM21mil investment scam * Johor cops receive report from bullying victim's mother * National Day rehearsals: 14 main roads in Putrajaya to close from Aug 26-29 * Cops seize over RM13mil in drugs, five arrested * Pasir Mas bullying case: Six Form Four students remanded * Child Act protects all children, not just victims, says PM Dept's Legal Affairs Division * Cops questioned four MACC staff among 48 over Pamela Ling's disappearance, says Saifuddin Nasution * Malaysia's vast water, energy resources major draw for foreign investment, says PM Anwar * Opposition MP questions Education Minister's silence on Zara Qairina case in Parliament * Johor has enough water for industry use to last beyond 2050, says MB * Palace warns of TikTok account mimicking Queen's voice * Counter setting: Two KLIA Immigration officers nabbed in RM400,000 bribery probe * Psychiatric examination for foreign student who ran amok with knife * Man who claimed to be pathologist has history of scams, says Fahmi * Uni student falls to death, father claims she was bullied * Animal lovers raise RM51,100 as reward to catch Biao Mei's killer * Cops probing Johor flag being displayed upside-down * Police reopen investigation into Wan Ahmad Faris' death, says Saifuddin * African Swine Fever: Farmers reminded not to misuse movement permits Singapore * Emergency broadcast system to alert Singapore public of disasters on their mobile phones * Hyflux founder Olivia Lum and ex-CFO gave input to 'play down' energy component of Tuaspring project * Grab users in Singapore shocked by fares of over S$1,000 due to display glitch * Singaporean director Jack Neo's new music video features AI-generated image of Lee Kuan Yew * Nearly two years' jail, caning for Singaporean man caught with at least 100 sexually explicit videos of children * Singapore office demand soars 12-fold as Hong Kong 'subdued': Colliers * Woman trapped between train doors: Singapore Judge rules SBS Transit '100% responsible' * Singaporean man admits slapping six-year-old boy who kicked styrofoam wall, causing his daughter to fall Indonesia * Indonesia to hold rate as Prabowo pushes spending to spur growth * Spanish man dies while spearfishing north of Bali * Indonesia's central bank surprises with rate cut * Indonesia's Mount Semeru erupts on Wednesday, spewing 800m ash column Thailand * Foreign tourists can now convert crypto to baht * Princess in coma for over two years remains under critical care * Royal Thai Navy uncovers evidence of Cambodian troops' use of landmines * Paetongtarn's possible resignation: A question of survival or no escape? * Asean Interim Observer Team observes civilian damages from Cambodian shelling in Surin, Thailand * Bank of Thailand clarifies 50,000 baht transfer limit applies only to vulnerable groups * Royal Thai Army says Cambodian army called to apologise over Chong An Ma incident Philippines * Marcos mulls economic sabotage charges against fraudsters in flood-control projects * Philippines warned: Tuna exports at risk over Supreme Court ruling on municipal waters * US seeks extradition of Phillipine televangelist Apollo Quiboloy: Ambassador Romualdez Vietnam * Tourism set to drive HCM City's economy in new development phase * Vietnam Airlines moves operations to new airport in Phnom Penh * Vietnamese, Bhutanese leaders back plan for direct flights Myanmar * Gritty Myanmar girls lose Asean football trophy but triumph over personal hardship * Myanmar junta captures key town, expanding election writ Cambodia * Returning Cambodian migrant workers urged to call hotline to register for jobs * Cambodian soldier in landmine planting video identified as same from joint patrols Laos * Laos, Myanmar deepen ties as they mark 70 years of diplomatic relations Brunei * Ten from Brunei head to Indonesia for Asean Deaf Games * Brunei, Thailand seal health collaboration MoU Aseanplus * North Korea dismisses South Korean president's 'gibberish' ahead of US summit * India tilts from US towards Eurasia * Ex-spies seek to return * Over 10 dead as storms batter north region * Kim slams military drills while inspecting warship * Showered by rocks and rain * Swatch apologises for 'slanted eye' ad after backlash * Floods bring Mumbai to a standstill * Japan's exports fall more than expected in July on US tariff pressures * Michelle Yeoh reveals husband counts their love in days, not years: 'If I really ask, he'll give me hours and minutes too' * Bursa investors take breather as Wall St stocks fall ahead of Fed summit * Ringgit opens flat against US$ on cautious sentiment * China's favourite 'ugly' products celebrated with exhibition * China to stage massive military parade involving tens of thousands of people * Asian markets dip after US tech slide * Time to Go: Japan pro board game player retires at 98 * New Zealand soldier gets two-year sentence for attempted espionage * South Korea President Lee Jae Myung to discuss future of K-pop in TV special * Workplace bullying cases of migrant workers in S. Korea triple since 2020 * China, India pledge to resume flights as Beijing's top diplomat wraps up visit * FBM KLCI traders take to the sidelines in lead up to corporate earnings, Fed summit * North Korea slams Seoul's leadership as two-faced * Putin, Modi to meet in Delhi by end of year, Russian embassy official says * Evicted Afghan refugees huddle in Islamabad park, dreading return home * China, US trade talks boost investor optimism * Gold hits near 3-week low on stronger dollar, Fed symposium in focus * New policy in China fuels rise in fertility treatments * Robots deployed for Fukushima radioactive debris removal * Pakistan's Karachi hit by torrential rain and floods * Dog abandoned inside train in India stokes outrage amid crackdown on strays * Extremely bright fireball lights up Japanese skies * Axelsen drops bombshell by announcing separation from wife * Seoul named favourite city by Gen Z, millennial travellers worldwide * No official letter yet about US tariffs on semiconductor chips, says Zafrul * Three dead, one missing in South-West China rain-triggered landslide * Fuel prices Aug 21-27: Diesel down five sen, petrol unchanged * Australia edge Myanmar to win Women's Asean football fest; host Vietnam grabs third place after win over Thailand * What we know about the man who attacked Delhi CM Rekha Gupta * Ringgit rises against major currencies, eases vs US dollar * Rural C-drama 'This thriving land' is winning hearts all over South-East Asia and East Asia * Two firefighters die battling fire at building in Osaka's Minami district * Air Supply returns to Malaysia for 50th anniversary concert, will perform in KL and Kuching * Did you know that it's dangerous to give slushies to kids? * Venus Williams to get new Barbie as part of Inspiring Women collection * HK actor Bobby Au-yeung and wife mark their birthdays in rare public appearance together * World's largest computer game fair, Gamescom, breaks its own record * Hong Kong democrat Jimmy Lai's lawyer defends basic rights in trial's final stretch * Chinese husband learns during wife's abortion that unborn child is neighbour's * India proposes law to sack ministers facing criminal charges * Hong Kong 47: Tiffany Yuen freed after more than four years in prison * Trump says he will arrange Putin, Zelensky meeting after speaking with both * Taiwanese actor Steve Ma, 63, finds love with woman 26 years his junior
