Governance, fiscal reforms to push Malaysia into top 25 CPI rankings
According to the 13MP document released by the Economy Ministry today, the focus on strengthening integrity and accountability, improving public service delivery efficiency...
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The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Extended retirement age boosts savings and eases living costs for civil servants
KUALA LUMPUR: The extension of the mandatory retirement age for civil servants could significantly improve their financial stability by allowing more time to pay off debts and increase savings. This move aligns with global trends, where many countries have already adjusted retirement ages to address economic and demographic challenges. Dr Sathiskumar K. Muthusamy, president of the Putrajaya Indian Civil Servants Association (IMAIYAM), highlighted that many civil servants take on major financial commitments, such as home loans, during mid-career. 'Most struggle to clear these debts by retirement, and their pensions often fall short of covering living expenses and education costs for their children,' he said. Extending the retirement age would provide relief by giving them more earning years. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the review of the retirement age during the tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), acknowledging Malaysia's shift toward an aging population. Currently, civil servants retire at 60, the same minimum age set for private sector workers under the Minimum Retirement Age Act 2012. Dr Sathiskumar proposed a flexible implementation, noting that not all sectors may suit a retirement age of 65. 'Critical fields like medicine and education benefit from experienced professionals, but health and performance monitoring must ensure service quality remains high,' he added. Aminuddin Awang, president of the National Union of Teaching Professions (NUTP), pointed out that Malaysia's retirement age is lower than in countries like Singapore and the Philippines. 'This policy should be voluntary, not forced. While it may temporarily affect promotions and hiring, experienced staff should have the option to continue serving if capable,' he said. NUTP plans to recommend a health and performance evaluation system to ensure only fit employees extend their service. – Bernama
![[UPDATED] Anwar: Sulawesi Sea talks must honour legal, historical claims](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fimages%2Farticles%2FAnwar_Sabah_1754189778.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[UPDATED] Anwar: Sulawesi Sea talks must honour legal, historical claims](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fassets%2FNST-Logo%402x.png%3Fid%3Db37a17055cb1ffea01f5&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
[UPDATED] Anwar: Sulawesi Sea talks must honour legal, historical claims
KOTA KINABALU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has assured that any discussion involving the Sulawesi Sea must be based on legal and historical considerations. He added that the outcomes require the agreement of both the Sabah government and the state legislative assembly. He said the recent 13th Malaysia-Indonesia Annual Consultation meeting with Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto concerning the Sulawesi Sea was conducted in the presence of Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. "In line with the principles of the Madani government, matters such as border delimitation must involve state leaders, including those from Sabah. "I think the Chief Minister (Hajiji) should hear it directly, to express his views, and to be aware of what was discussed," he said during the closing of the three-day National Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen's event at Sabah International Convention Centre here. Regarding the Sulawesi Sea, Anwar said he had made it clear, in the presence of Hajiji, that the issue must be discussed based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and historical antecedents. The dispute in the Sulawesi Sea involving overlapping maritime claims between East Kalimantan (Indonesia) and southeastern Sabah (Malaysia) has persisted since Malaysia published a map of its maritime boundaries in 1979. According to a written reply dated July 22 published on the Parliament website, the Foreign Ministry maintains that the ND6 and ND7 oil exploration blocks in the Sulawesi Sea fall within Malaysian sovereign territory under international law. "Most importantly, any decision must have the agreement of the Sabah state government and, ultimately, the State Legislative Assembly. "I have chosen to respond as the representative of the federal government, and I will defend Sabah's rights. "This is our country. We will not allow even a single inch of land or sea to be encroached upon or claimed by anyone. "When it came to the court case in Spain involving the Sulu heirs' claims over Sabah, we fought with maximum effort to defend Sabah's sovereignty."
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Ensuring future of Malaysia's mangroves through science and community
LETTERS: More mangroves and peat swamp forests will be legally protected within the 13th Malaysia Plan time-frame, 2026-2030, as tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday. In the same tabling of the new five-year national development plan, efforts to protect and restore mangroves, coral reefs and other wetlands were also pointed out as a critical means for nature-based climate and environmental solutions. They are now prioritised as the key national approach in securing the country's vulnerable coastlines, including to ensure the safety and well-being of coastal communities. To ensure successful mangrove restoration, Malaysia must first establish a comprehensive plan, which begins with the identification and assessment of all disturbed and degraded mangroves. Unlike terrestrial forests, the dynamics and changes faced by our coastal ecosystems are much faster, and the challenges facing them are also much harsher. Thus, assessment of the status of all gazetted mangroves (in which some were already made over a century ago) should be carried out at the initial stage to accurately prioritise further actions. Are these mangrove forest reserves still forested? Have the forested areas expanded? Can they cope with the upcoming impact of sea level rise and other climatic and oceanic hazards? These are basic questions crucial to be answered. In addition, requests to encroach and exploit intact mangroves should be permanently and strictly disallowed, to ensure no deficits to achieve this mission. Strict enforcement of the laws should also not be neglected. According to the document, new gazettement of mangrove forests, either as a forest reserve or a state park, marine reserve or a marine park, is highly encouraged. Consequently, listing them under international conservation programmes is also very much encouraged. There is a buffet of options, including as a Ramsar Site under the Convention of Wetlands, or through Unesco programmes like the Man and Biosphere, World Heritage, Ecohydrology, Global Geoparks, and several others. It is important to note that mangrove habitat restoration is not a numbers game, and planting is not the only mechanism to achieve it. Planting should be one of the later, if not last, actions to be taken. It is not about the number of seedlings or saplings to be planted; it is the area of recovered mangroves or area of new mangrove forests to be gained that should be aimed, quantified and reported. All ongoing 'planting' programmes or any new ideas to 'plant' mangroves, either by government agencies, corporate organisations, or communities, must undergo a total revamp and be replaced by the true understanding of habitat restoration, as correctly envisioned in the 13MP document. It is pertinent for project proponents to: understand the targeted site to be restored; resolve land tenure or ownership; identify the causes of habitat loss or degradation, and plan on how to rectify them. We must consider the landscape approach, in essence, habitat connectivity, by ensuring the health of adjacent habitats and ecosystems like mudflats, sandflats, seagrass beds, coral reefs, beaches, and others; rectify issues like hydrology, sedimentation, elevation, tidal range, freshwater inputs, and other physical characteristics; monitor natural recruitment and recovery of the site; and, get in touch with the surrounding local communities. Get them involved in restoration plans and activities; and then, finally, plant the right species in the right place — only if the area requires assisted regeneration. Restoration activities do not stop there. Continuous monitoring and surveys must be carried out at regular intervals, and data must be properly recorded. This is especially crucial to justify the time, energy and financial investments being put in since the planning to the execution phases. The assessment is particularly crucial not only to verify and report the gains (or losses), but also to ensure integrity and credibility, especially if the project involves carbon credit or other financial mechanisms. All in all, it is an excellent move by the government in recognising the importance of protecting and conserving mangroves and other wetlands as nature-based solutions to tackle the many environmental, climate and sustainability issues the country is facing. I sincerely hope that this vision is strongly supported by sound scientific approaches and methodologies, as it involves the future of our planet and the survival of our future generations. DR A. ALDRIE AMIR Associate Professor Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; Coordinator
