
Seek explanation, student group told
Published on: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Published on: Tue, Jun 10, 2025
By: Crystal E Hermenegildus Text Size: Mustapha, also Sepanggar MP, said the Telibong II Water Treatment Plant (WTP) has been completed. - Bernama pic Kota Kinabalu: Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, advised a student group which urged Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) to sue the State Water Department (JANS) to seek an explanation from the department. He said while it is the right of any party to file a lawsuit, such action must follow proper legal procedures.
Advertisement 'The water supply issues at UMS were not deliberate. There are various technical factors that need to be considered,' he said during the 2024 Madani SPM Excellent Student Awards Ceremony for the Sepanggar parliamentary area, here, Monday. He was responding to the call from student group Suara Mahasiswa for legal action over the water supply disruptions at the UMS campus. Mustapha, also Sepanggar MP, said the Telibong II Water Treatment Plant (WTP) has been completed. 'However, pipe installation is still underway, causing delays. The real issue now lies with the unfinished Pan Borneo Highway. Because of that, the pipe installation couldn't be completed as scheduled. 'Efforts are being made to resolve the matter, but technical issues have caused setbacks. If students are still unsatisfied after receiving an explanation, they have the option to pursue legal action,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Borneo Post
2 hours ago
- Borneo Post
MOF: Targeted sales tax rate revision, service tax scope expansion to be effective July 1
Amir Hamzah says that complementing the Madani Government's efforts to stimulate the economy and strengthen the social safety net, the additional revenue from the SST enhancements will go towards further public service improvements. – Bernama photo PUTRAJAYA (June 10): The government will implement a targeted revision of the Sales Tax rates and expansion of the Service Tax's scope effective from July 1, 2025, in order to strengthen the country's fiscal position by increasing revenue and broadening the tax base. Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said these measures are aimed at improving the quality of the social safety net without burdening the majority of Malaysians. 'The government is committed to continuing the reforms under the Madani Economy framework. To ensure that the majority of people are not affected by the Sales and Service Tax (SST) revision, the Madani government is taking a targeted approach to ensure that basic goods and services are not taxed. 'In addition, various facilities are also being provided to mitigate the impact on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs),' he said in a statement yesterday. Amir Hamzah said that complementing the Madani Government's efforts to stimulate the economy and strengthen the social safety net, the additional revenue from the SST enhancements will go towards further public service improvements. These include increasing the amount of cash assistance to the people, as well as strengthening basic infrastructure and the delivery of public services. 'This additional revenue can benefit the entire country without raising the burden on the majority of the people,' he said. Amir Hamzah said the SST review has undergone the process of engagement with stakeholders, particularly industry associations and tax agents. 'Legal preparations also took into account feedback and input from the industry to ensure that the majority of the people are not affected and the impact on the industry is minimised,' the minister said. According to the statement, the Sales Tax rate will remain unchanged for essential goods consumed by the people, while a rate of either five or 10 per cent will be imposed on non-essential or discretionary goods. The scope of the Service Tax will be extended to include new services such as rental or leasing, construction, finance, private healthcare, education, and beauty services. This expansion is accompanied by selective exemptions to avoid double taxation and to ensure that certain essential services for Malaysian citizens are not taxed. Amir Hamzah said the government has also taken into account the need for legal compliance by companies that are subject to the SST. 'In line with that, for companies that take steps to comply with the SST legal requirements, no legal action or penalty will be imposed up to Dec 31, 2025,' he said. Under the Sales Tax revision, the Madani Government is maintaining a rate of zero per cent on essential daily goods such as rice, chicken, beef, fish, vegetables, sugar, cooking oil, medicine, books, newspapers and pet food, as well as basic construction materials and agricultural inputs such as fertilisers, pesticides and machinery. This approach is aimed at ensuring that there is no direct impact on the cost of living for the majority of people and inflation rates remain manageable. Meanwhile, a five per cent Sales Tax is imposed on selected discretionary items such as king crab, salmon, cod, imported fruits, essential oils, and silk fabrics, while premium items such as racing bicycles and antique hand-painted artworks are subject to a rate of 10 per cent. Amir Hamzah Azizan lead MoF review Sales and Service Tax SST


The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Russia's new drone strikes hit Kyiv, maternity ward in Odesa, Ukraine says
KYIV (Reuters) -Russia launched another large drone attack on Ukraine, striking Kyiv and damaging a maternity ward in the southern port of Odesa, regional officials said early on Tuesday. The overnight attacks follow Russia's biggest drone strike on Ukraine on Monday - part of intensified operations that Moscow said were retaliatory measures for Kyiv's recent brazen attacks inside Russia. Medics were called to four districts of Kyiv a couple hours after midnight on Tuesday, including the historic Podil neighbourhood, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app. The military said the strikes were still ongoing and urged people to seek bomb shelters. The full scale of the attack was not immediately clear. "Enemy drones are simultaneously attacking several districts of the city," Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration said on the Telegram messaging app. "There is damage to residential buildings and fires. Rescuers are working at the sites." Reuters' witnesses heard a series of loud explosions throughout the city. In the southern port of Odesa, a "massive" drone attack targeted an emergency medical building and a maternity ward, as well as residential buildings, Oleh Kiper, governor of the broader Odesa region said on Telegram. Regarding the maternity hospital there were no casualties and patients and staff were evacuated, Kiper said. He posted photos of broken windows in what looked like a medical facility and of damages to facades of several buildings. Both sides deny targeting civilians in the war that Russia launched against Ukraine more than three years ago. But thousands of civilians have been killed in the conflict, the chief majority of them Ukrainian. (Reporting by Oleksandr Kozhukhar in Kyiv; Writing by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Chris Reese and Michael Perry)


Daily Express
2 hours ago
- Daily Express
Bung calls for transparency on use of LPG cylinders
Published on: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jun 10, 2025 Text Size: Bung claimed that small food business operators in Sabah are now anxious and uncertain about the enforcement move, attributing the concern to a lack of clear and comprehensive information regarding the operation. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Umno Chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin urged the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) to demonstrate greater transparency in the enforcement of its Ops Gasak operation, particularly concerning the mandatory use of commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders by food premises. 'This is crucial to ensure that any weaknesses or confusion are not hidden but instead addressed openly and responsibly,' he said in a statement. Advertisement Bung claimed that small food business operators in Sabah are now anxious and uncertain about the enforcement move, attributing the concern to a lack of clear and comprehensive information regarding the operation. 'The people of Sabah, especially small traders in the food sector, are uneasy with KPDN's directive requiring the use of commercial LPG cylinders. 'The confusion stems from the lack of detailed explanation, which has led to misunderstandings and anxiety among small food operators,' he said. He urged KPDN to adopt a more inclusive and trader-friendly approach, while also calling on the State Government to be proactive in explaining the matter to the public. 'It is the State Government's responsibility to provide complete information and assist small traders in applying for the Scheduled Controlled Goods Permit (PBKB). 'Such efforts will not only strengthen compliance with regulations but also protect the survival of small businesses, which are the backbone of the local economy,' he said. He added that if the government deems the use of domestic cooking gas unsuitable for certain food premises, then guidelines and implementation conditions must be clearly and transparently communicated. 'There must be a balance between enforcement and consideration of on-the-ground realities. That balance is the foundation of administrative efficiency and public well-being. 'I call on all relevant parties to demonstrate stronger commitment to addressing this issue comprehensively, fairly, and prudently,' Bung said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia