
MOTAC boosts four strategies to hit VM2026 tourist target
He said the strategies outlined include focusing on target markets such as China, India, Australia, Indonesia, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, Chinese Taipei and Germany, while continuing to prioritise the ASEAN market.
'In addition, we are increasing visitor traffic to Malaysia by introducing new flight routes connecting major Malaysian cities with international destinations.
'This will also allow us to increase seat capacity to the country through the provision of incentives under the International Aviation and Charter Sector Grant (GSPC),' he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said this in response to a supplementary question from Lee Chuan How (PH–Ipoh Timor) regarding the ministry's initiatives to ensure that the VM2026 tourist arrival target can be achieved.
Khairul Firdaus said the third strategy involved strategic collaboration with travel agencies, including online platforms, to offer attractive, competitive and value-added travel packages.
He also said the visa liberalisation plan introduced by the Home Ministry had had a significant impact on the country's tourism sector, particularly in attracting tourists from China and India. - Bernama
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The Star
38 minutes ago
- The Star
Singapore reviewing Malaysia's request to start cross-border bus services from JB at 4am
Malaysia's Land Public Transport Agency plans to start operating cross-border bus services earlier. - The Star SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Singapore bus operators are reviewing a request from Malaysia to start operating cross-border bus services from Johor Bahru an hour earlier. LTA told The Straits Times on July 29 that it had received a request from Malaysia's Land Public Transport Agency on June 17 to start operating cross-border bus services earlier and that it is 'working with our bus operators to review the request'. These operators are public bus companies SBS Transit (SBST) and SMRT and some private bus operators. Malaysian news daily The Star said on July 24 that the Land Public Transport Agency is in talks with LTA to ask Singapore's bus operators to start services at 4am, instead of 5am. According to The Star, Johor state Works, Transportation, Infrastructure and Communication Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said long queues of Singapore-bound passengers would form at the Johor Bahru Checkpoint at 4am, so he hopes that an earlier start time would tackle the pre-dawn rush. SBST currently operates service 160 from Johor Bahru Checkpoint, with departures starting at 5am on weekdays and 5.50am on weekends or public holidays. It also runs service 170 between Larkin Terminal in Johor Bahru and Queen Street Terminal near Jalan Besar, with departures starting from 5.20am on weekdays and 5.30am on weekends or public holidays. Service 170X – a supplementary service that plies only a section of service 170's route – is also run by SBST, with the first bus leaving Johor Bahru at 8.28am on weekdays. Additionally, SMRT operates service 950 across the Causeway from Johor Bahru Checkpoint towards the Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange. No information on the starting times for its Singapore-bound service is publicly available, but the Johor Bahru-bound service departs from Woodlands at 5.30am every day. Other private bus operators, including Singapore-Johore Express, Ridewell Travel and Transtar Travel, ply routes from Larkin Bus Terminal and Johor Bahru Checkpoint to Singapore. ST has contacted all public and private bus operators for comment. SMRT and SBST directed these queries to LTA. Associate Professor Walter Theseira, a transport economist at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, said it may be more costly and logistically challenging to operate cross-border bus services outside the usual scheduled hours. This is because public bus operators face labour constraints, he added. It would be more difficult to offer services at earlier start times as drivers may not want to accept these shifts, and it would affect manpower planning for the rest of the day. And these operational constraints may lead to higher fares, noted Prof Theseira, since buses operating outside scheduled hours are typically expected to cover a larger share of costs from fares – as in the case of the now-defunct late-night bus services, which charged higher fares of above S$4 (US$3.10). He noted that there may also be concerns from Singaporeans about providing more subsidies so that public transport operators can start their cross-border services earlier because they would primarily benefit Malaysians working in Singapore. While private operators can also adjust the operating hours of such services, he said they must be able to make profits to offer extended services. Malaysians who cross the Causeway daily to get to work in Singapore, such as Eerman Dzulkurnai, 39, said he would be happy to have potentially more cross-border bus services to use as he typically gets to Johor Bahru Checkpoint by around 4am to avoid getting stuck in traffic and be able to arrive at his workplace in Pioneer by 9am. The information technology support officer noted that by 6am, there are usually snaking queues, and it can take travellers one hour to squeeze onto a bus to Singapore. He added that early on the morning of July 21, when bus drivers under Malaysian bus operator Causeway Link went on strike, he was left with no choice but to walk 30 minutes across the Causeway. The upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link is set to run from 6am to midnight daily when it starts passenger service by the end of 2026. - The Straits Times/ANN


BusinessToday
an hour ago
- BusinessToday
Green Doesn't Have To Be Gold: 10 ESG Facts Every Malaysian Business Should Know
ESG is often dismissed as something only large corporations can afford. But in Malaysia, where over 97% of all businesses are SMEs, that logic no longer holds, and in fact, may be holding them back. From family businesses to homegrown startups, or even regional brands, sustainability is becoming a business necessity, not a luxury. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) plays a large part in translating this transition into tangible business terms. By quantifying savings and projecting returns, the organisation helps businesses future-proof operations — not through hype, but through hard numbers. ICAEW supports this shift by equipping businesses and finance professionals with the tools, training, and data-driven insights needed to quantify sustainability risks, measure returns, and embed ESG into long-term strategy. For Malaysian businesses, sustainability is not the cost — it is the payoff. Here are 10 data-backed insights, each paired with a clear business rationale, showing how ESG drives results at any scale. ESG reporting rules will soon impact SMEs across the supply chain Bursa Malaysia now requires large, listed companies to adopt ESG disclosures, starting from financial year 2025. While most listed companies are not SMEs, this mandate will cascade through procurement chains, prompting thousands of SMEs to align with ESG standards if they wish to remain competitive vendors. Companies that act early will be better positioned to retain key contracts, access green capital, and maintain investor trust. More SMEs are embracing ESG as a growth strategy A growing number of Malaysian SMEs are embracing ESG not just for compliance, but as a growth driver. For those already taking action, the commercial returns are starting to show. According to a recent study, 60% of SMEs have adopted ESG practices, up from just 28% two years ago. Among these adopters, 38% reported revenue growth exceeding 50%, driven by improved market access and customer demand. But few have embedded it into core operations While awareness is rising, many Malaysian SMEs have yet to embed ESG into their core operations. A study found that only 19% of SMEs have adopted environmentally friendly production processes, and just 12% are involved in structured social responsibility programmes. This gap shows the opportunity for early movers to lead the transition. Solar isn't just green, it's cost-efficient One key area where ESG delivers fast returns is energy. Malaysian businesses now benefit from incentives like 100% investment tax allowance, soft loans under the Green Technology Financing Scheme, and the Net Energy Metering (NEM) programme. Local companies have cut electricity costs by nearly half, with some saving up to 75% after switching to rooftop solar. Sustainability drives customer loyalty and willingness to pay Consumers are increasingly voting with their wallets. Businesses that can demonstrate environmental responsibility are more likely to attract and retain customers as well as command a price premium. According to the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation, 78% of Malaysian consumers consider a product's environmental impact before making a purchase. And the business case doesn't stop there. Beyond regulatory pressure, revenue growth, and energy savings, ESG also opens doors to financing, talent retention, and long-term resilience. The following insights show how sustainability strategies are delivering measurable returns across different parts of the business. Banks are unlocking ESG access through green finance Banks are increasing sustainable lending, making ESG investments more accessible for Malaysian businesses. CIMB Group had mobilised RM86.2 billion in sustainable finance. Maybank reported RM83.2 billion in sustainable financing as of mid-2024, surpassing its RM80 billion goal set for 2025. RHB Bank disbursed RM23.8 billion and raised its target to RM50 billion by 2026. ESG is becoming a driver of talent attraction and retention Employees now expect more than pay—they want purpose and meaning from their work. A global IBM study found that over 70% of employees say they'd be more likely to apply for or accept a job with a company they consider environmentally or socially responsible, and around 35% of those who switched jobs last year did so to work for such companies. ESG readiness protects export competitiveness International buyers are raising the bar on climate standards. With the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) phasing in from 2026, Malaysian exporters will need to track and report their carbon footprint to avoid penalties. ESG compliance is becoming essential for protecting access to international markets. According to the Securities Commission, 75 percent of Malaysia's exports to the EU could be affected, even though the EU accounts for just over 8 percent of total exports. Greening supply chains saves millions in disruption Climate risks, labour shortages and tightening ESG standards are creating vulnerabilities across global supply chains. Companies that adopt sustainable procurement practices and build resilience into their supply chain operations are better able to avoid revenue loss and delivery delays. Malaysia's economy is losing an estimated RM8.7 billion each year to supply chain disruptions. ESG-aligned businesses can mitigate these risks while maintaining competitiveness and customer trust. ESG signals long-term business strength to investors Investors are prioritising companies with credible sustainability credentials, viewing them as more resilient, compliant, and better positioned for long-term growth. ESG performance is increasingly seen as a proxy for risk management and future-readiness. For SMEs seeking funding, this shift is especially relevant, ESG alignment isn't just a moral imperative, it's a competitive edge in attracting capital. In Malaysia, Sustainable and Responsible Investment (SRI) fund assets grew from RM7.05 billion in 2022 to RM7.7 billion in 2023, reflecting growing investor appetite for businesses that take ESG seriously. While this isn't exponential growth, it marks a consistent upward trend in capital flowing into sustainability-focused investments — a signal SMEs can't afford to ignore.

The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Boeing buy a corporate decision, says Tengku Zafrul
PUTRAJAYA: The recent purchase of Boeing aircraft by Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) is a corporate decision, says Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz ( pic ). "The purchase of the aircraft was a strategic business decision by MAG and was financed using company funds and not the people's tax money," said the Investment, Trade and Industry Minister. He added in a post on X that the plan to purchase the Boeing aircraft was announced as early as March 2025, well before US President Donald Trump's announcement of elevated tariffs on Malaysian goods. Tengku Zafrul then said that Malaysia's strategy in highlighting major corporate purchases from the United States - including the Boeing order - played a role in ongoing tariff negotiations with Washington. "These purchases helped demonstrate that Malaysia is also a significant buyer of US products, not merely an exporter. We are not buying just because we want to reduce tariffs,' he said. "This approach showed the US that we were also a big buyer of their products, and ultimately convinced them to lower our export tariffs from 25% to 19%," added Tengku Zafrul. He hailed the outcome as a result of "careful consultation" that preserved both national and corporate interests.