K'tan to tighten syariah laws against LGBTQ+, immoral acts
Deputy Menteri Besar Fadzli Hassan said that despite past legal challenges, the state government is determined to enhance the law and its enforcement.
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The Star
11 hours ago
- The Star
Nvidia, AMD to pay US 15% of China AI chip sales
(FILES) People attend a Nvidia production preview exhibition in Taipei on May 21, 2025. Chinese authorities summoned US technology giant Nvidia on July 31, 2025 to discuss "serious security issues" discovered involving its chips, the country's top internet regulator said. (Photo by I-HWA CHENG / AFP) New York: Nvidia Corp and Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) have agreed to pay 15% of their revenues from Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) chip sales to the US government in a deal to secure export licences, an unusual arrangement that may unnerve both US companies and Beijing. Nvidia plans to share 15% of the revenue from sales of its H20 AI accelerator in China, according to a person familiar with the matter. AMD will deliver the same share from MI308 revenues, the person added, asking for anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The arrangement reflects US President Donald Trump's consistent effort to engineer a financial payout for America in return for concessions on trade. His administration has shown a willingness to relax trade conditions like tariffs in return for giant investments in the United States – as with Apple Inc's pledge to spend US$600bil on domestic manufacturing. But such a narrow, select export tax has little precedent in modern corporate history. Beijing, which has grown increasingly hostile to the idea of Chinese firms deploying the H20, is unlikely to warm to the idea of a chip tax. Yuyuantantian, a social media account affiliated with state-run China Central Television that regularly signals Beijing's thinking about trade, on Sunday slammed the chip's supposed security vulnerabilities and inefficiency. 'This seeming quid pro quo is unprecedented from an export control perspective. The arrangement risks invalidating the national security rationale for US export controls,' said Jacob Feldgoise, a researcher at the Washington-based Centre for Security and Emerging Technology. It 'will likely undermine the US' position when negotiating with allies to implement complementary controls,' he added. 'Allies may not believe US policymakers if they are willing to trade away those same national security concerns for economic concessions – either from US companies or foreign governments.' A Nvidia spokesperson said the company follows US export rules, adding that while it hasn't shipped H20 chips to China for months, it hopes the rules will allow US companies to compete in China. AMD didn't respond to a request for comment. The Financial Times earlier reported the development. It followed a separate report from the same outlet that the Commerce Department had begun issuing H20 licences last week, days after Nvidia chief executive officer Jensen Huang met with Trump. Huang has lobbied long and hard for the lifting of restrictions, arguing that walling China off will only slow the spread of American technology and encourage local rivals such as Huawei Technologies Co. 'It's a strategic bargaining chip' that tightens Washington's grip on a critical tech sphere during trade negotiations with China, said Hebe Chen, an analyst with Vantage Markets in Melbourne. 'Over time, this hurdle for chips entering China will likely deter Nvidia and AMD from deeper expansion in the world's largest chip-importing market, while giving local Chinese producers a clear edge to capture market share and accelerate domestic semiconductor innovation,' Chen said If Washington goes ahead with the tax, it should funnel some capital to the United States – but not an enormous amount in relative terms. Both Nvidia and AMD have said it'll take time to ramp back up production of their China-specific products – even if orders return to previous levels, which is uncertain. Nvidia raked in US$4.6bil of revenue from the H20 in its quarter ended April 27 – days after new restrictions on shipping the AI accelerator to China were imposed. It said it had been unable to ship US$2.5bil of H20 China revenue in that period because of the new rules. That implies it would have gotten more than US$7bil in H20 sales to China during the period. If it can return to that level, the US government will stand to get about US$1bil a quarter from its deal. AMD could generate US$3bil to US$5bil of revenue this year if restrictions were lifted, Morgan Stanley estimates. Chinese alternatives such as Huawei's Ascend chips now account for 20% to 30% of domestic demand, it reckoned. 'The US government clearly needs the money given its deficits and eagerness to collect tariffs,' said Vey-Sern Ling, managing director at Union Bancaire Privee in Singapore. 'But the complication is China's accusations about H20 chips containing backdoors, which could be a negotiation tactic to highlight that the country is not that 'hard up' for US chips,' Ling added. — Bloomberg
The Sun
6 days ago
- The Sun
Let due process prevail in death of student: Saifuddin
KAJANG: All parties must not speculate on the death of religious school student Zara Qairina Mahathir and respect the ongoing investigation process. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said if there are shortcomings in the police investigation papers, the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) will request the police to rectify them. Saifuddin said his ministry does not wish to be drawn into the polemics surrounding the teenager's death and will leave the matter entirely to the relevant authorities to handle according to due process. 'This is how it works. We should follow procedure. When an incident occurs, the police will open an investigation paper. Once the police complete their investigation, they will hand it over to the attorney general,' he told reporters after the launch of the i-Deen programme at the Nada headquarters yesterday. Saifuddin stressed that interference by any party would only fuel further speculation. 'We must give space for the police to carry out their investigation. If not, people will ask, why is it taking so long? And if it's done too quickly, they'll ask, why so fast?' He added that any decision by the AG would be based on a thorough and careful process. 'The AG must be fully convinced before making a decision to prosecute, especially in high-profile cases where the public wants to know the truth of what happened. So, let the process unfold. If there are weaknesses in the investigation, it is standard practice for the AG to return the papers to the police for improvement and refinement.' Zara, a Form One student at a religious school in Papar, Sabah, was found unconscious after allegedly falling from a hostel building. She was later pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital at 11am on July 17. On Aug 1, Zara's family was reported to have requested an inquest to determine whether there were any criminal elements involved in her death. However, there has been no further update on the matter. The family's lawyers have appealed to the AGC to return the investigation papers to the police so the case can be reopened. Lawyers Hamid Ismail and Shahlan Jufri claimed there were serious flaws and gaps in the investigation report received by the AGC.
The Sun
6 days ago
- The Sun
Govt mulls new law to tackle online drug sales
KAJANG: The government is reviewing the need to amend existing laws or introduce a new act to combat the growing trend of drug sales conducted via online platforms. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the matter has been raised at the Cabinet Committee on Combating Drug Abuse, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. 'In the past, this method of selling didn't exist. Now, buyers place orders online, so we need to revisit the legal and regulatory framework to strengthen it,' he told a press conference yesterday after closing the i-Deen recovery programme at the National Anti-Drugs Agency (Nada) headquarters in Kajang. Also present were Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, Nada director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh, Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Awang Alik Jeman and Federal Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan. Saifuddin said the issue of the sale of drugs online is complex and involves multiple agencies. 'For instance, the supply of drugs falls under the Home Ministry but when transactions occur on digital platforms, it involves the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry. 'If they use e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, detection is relatively easier. But when they operate through social media channels like WhatsApp or Facebook, enforcement becomes more difficult,' he said, adding that the delivery process adds another layer of challenge. He said the trend of selling drugs online is rising and deeply worrying, as these transactions are discreet and harder for authorities to detect. 'We are aware of the issue. That's why the government is currently reviewing existing legislation to ensure it stays relevant with evolving modus operandi.' The Cabinet committee on drug issues meets three times a year, with the most recent meeting held in June. Saifuddin said the proposal to address the issue was tabled during the last meeting as an information paper. 'No decision has been finalised yet. Discussions are ongoing, but our direction is clear – we will either amend current laws or introduce a new act specifically to tackle online drug transactions.' theSun had earlier reported that the Magic Mushroom liquid – laced with synthetic drugs – is being sold online for as low as RM1 per drop, making it easily accessible to youths and first-time users. Saifuddin also said Nada aims to achieve an 80% recovery rate among drug addicts receiving treatment at its centres. 'Currently, recovery rate stands at 79%. The agency is targeting 80% by next year.' Earlier, in his speech, Ruslin said the i-Deen programme is part of Nada's ongoing rehabilitation efforts. The event featured three competitions – Quran memorisation (hafazan), Quran recitation (tilawah) and nasyid – involved patients from Nada treatment centres nationwide. 'The rehab process at Nada is continuous. The programme aims to produce religious role models among recovering addicts, helping to prepare them for reintegration into society.'
