Malaysia, Singapore To Strengthen Ties In Govtech, Housing And Public Sector Reform
Chief Secretary to the Government (KSN) Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said these were the main areas of collaboration identified during his three-day official working visit to Singapore beginning Friday (July 18).
'We want to learn from Singapore. Firstly, in regard to GovTech, as they have already implemented it, while we are in the process of launching our own.
'Secondly, their affordable housing through the Singapore Housing Board. And thirdly, we want to learn about reforms in the public service,' he said.
He was speaking to reporters after launching the Sports Carnival of the Alumni Association of MRSM Malaysia (ANSARA Malaysia) here today.
Shamsul Azri said Singapore welcomed the cooperation and exchange of best practices between the two countries to improve the quality of public service.
'Singapore welcomed our proposals… we also had sessions with them to discuss strategic cooperation between the Malaysian government and the Singaporean government,' he added.
Earlier, in his speech, he urged Malaysians to adopt a healthy lifestyle through sports and good nutrition.
Citing Singapore as an example, he said their average life expectancy is 84 years, compared to about 73 to 74 years in Malaysia.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
24 minutes ago
- Daily Express
Two Sabah media practitioners receive aid from Tabung Kasih@Hawana
Published on: Thursday, July 24, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jul 24, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: Fahmi (second right) and others observe the injury on Vicky's arm. - fotoBERNAMA PENAMPANG: Tabung Kasih@Hawana's has brought much-needed cheer and meaningful support to two media practitioners in Sabah who are battling health challenges. One of the recipients, Sabah State Information Department photographer Vicky Sylvester Matanjang, 52, said he was moved by the kind gesture of Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, who personally visited his home in Kampung Hungab here today to deliver the contribution. 'I feel appreciated, even though I'm just a photographer. Today is my first day back at work, but I'm only doing light duties as I haven't fully recovered,' said Vicky, who sustained serious injuries in a road accident in March. He said the initiative also reflected the Madani government's concern for the welfare of those facing hardship, especially media practitioners nationwide. Also present were Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa; Bernama chief executive officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin; Sabah State Information Department director Jainisah Mohd Noor; and Sabah Journalists Association (SJA) president Mariah Doksil. Sabah Media journalist Hafizul Andie Zulkarnain, 35, who is still recovering from surgery for a bowel complication and ruptured appendix in June, expressed his heartfelt thanks after receiving the contribution from Nur-ul Afida at his residence in Sepanggar, Kota Kinabalu, last Tuesday. 'Thank you for taking the time to visit and hand over the contribution. It will definitely help with my treatment expenses during my recovery,' he said. Meanwhile, Nur-ul Afida said media associations in Sabah could reach out to the secretariat of Tabung Kasih@Hawana, managed by Bernama, to provide information on media practitioners facing health issues or hardships. 'I would like to seek the cooperation of media associations in Sabah to share information with us so that we can assist our fellow media practitioners in need,' she said. Meanwhile, Mariah expressed hope that the SJA could serve as a key platform for coordinating aid to media practitioners in need. 'We will suggest the names of those eligible to receive donations and assist in providing the necessary information,' she said. The Tabung Kasih@Hawana initiative reflects the spirit of Malaysia Madani by upholding values of compassion and care, particularly for media practitioners who have long contributed to society but are now facing life or health challenges. The fund was established as a Communications Ministry initiative and implemented through Bernama to support serving and retired journalists and other media practitioners who are facing hardships or financial difficulties. To date, a total of 463 media practitioners nationwide have benefited from the initiative. * 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
Daily Express
24 minutes ago
- Daily Express
Sejahtera Madani initiative launched, nearly RM120m raised to end poverty
Published on: Thursday, July 24, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jul 24, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: Pic by Bernama PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysia Madani People's Wellbeing Initiative (Sejahtera Madani), launched today to end poverty, has successfully raised nearly RM120 million, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ( pic ) announced. Speaking at the launch, Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the initiative had received overwhelming support from the private sector, surpassing its initial fundraising target of RM50 million. 'I said if Sejahtera Madani could raise RM50 million, that would already be a success, and the government could top it up a bit, but today the response has not just doubled, it's gone far beyond that. 'The initiative has now raised nearly RM120 million. This is a meaningful project, and we want to drive this nation to become strong and great,' he said. Present at the event were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Minister of Housing and Local Government Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. Anwar also reiterated his Madani Government's commitment to ending hardcore poverty in Malaysia through coordinated efforts and strategic approaches. 'My target, together with the Cabinet, is to end hardcore poverty. Based on data from 2023 to 2024, we've made significant progress. Even though new cases may emerge, the overall numbers are far lower than before,' he said. The Prime Minister also praised the commitment of all stakeholders, particularly the private sector and Islamic religious councils, for working alongside the government to tackle one of the country's most persistent issues. Sejahtera Madani is a national initiative aimed at assisting poor and hardcore poor households registered under the National Poverty Database or the eKasih system. Coordinated by the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister's Department (ICU JPM), the initiative consolidates various aid interventions across ministries, agencies, and private entities for a focused and integrated poverty eradication strategy. In a statement issued at the launch, ICU JPM described Sejahtera Madani as being anchored on a "whole-of-nation approach," enhanced with high-impact and sustainable programs targeting both heads of households and household members under the eKasih system. The initiative focuses on four key areas, namely income generation, education, housing, and social welfare. The government is targeting RM100 million in corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributions for Sejahtera Madani, all of which will be channelled to the People's Wellbeing Fund managed by ICU JPM. 'All CSR contributions under this initiative qualify for income tax deductions under Subsection 44(6) of the Income Tax Act 1967,' the statement read. As of July 15, a total of 306,403 heads of households are registered in the eKasih database nationwide, comprising 1,017 classified as hardcore poor and 305,386 as poor. * 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
Barnama
an hour ago
- Barnama
MYMT 2026 To Boost Malaysia's Position In Global Medical Tourism
KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism (MYMT) 2026 has officially been launched today to strengthen the country's position as a top destination for affordable and high-quality healthcare services. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said with the tagline 'Healing Meets Hospitality', MYMT 2026 aims to attract more international healthcare travellers by highlighting the country's high-quality, affordable medical services, along with its warm hospitality and wellness offerings. "Malaysia has long been recognised as a preferred destination for medical tourism. In 2024, we recorded 1.6 million healthcare travellers, generating RM2.72 billion in revenue, which marks a 21 per cent increase from the previous year. 'These figures reflect the growing confidence in our healthcare system," he said in his speech at the launch of the campaign, here. Dzulkefly, who also chairs the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), said the country's international standing in the sector was further reinforced in May this year, when it was ranked among the world's top 10 medical tourism destinations by Nomad Capitalist, alongside regional peers such as Singapore and Thailand. He said the campaign supports the broader goals of Visit Malaysia 2026 by positioning healthcare as a key economic and reputational driver, with the potential to generate between RM12 and RM15 billion by 2030 through spillover benefits to airlines, hotels, transport services, and local communities. Among the highlights of MYMT 2026 is the Flagship Medical Tourism Hospital (FMTH) programme, which recognises excellence in clinical care, innovation and international patient services. "Four outstanding hospitals that include Institut Jantung Negara, Island Hospital Penang, Mahkota Medical Centre, and Subang Jaya Medical Centre are currently in the final stages of assessment. We look forward to announcing the winner in December," he said. The campaign also introduced celebrated singer Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza as its official ambassador, highlighting her as a symbol of trust, authenticity and compassion - values that reflect the core essence of Malaysia Healthcare.
