logo
Sultan Ibrahim visits Russia's leading automotive research centre in Moscow

Sultan Ibrahim visits Russia's leading automotive research centre in Moscow

The Star4 days ago
MOSCOW: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, on Thursday (Aug 7) visited the Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engines Institute (Nami) here to observe advancements in Russian automotive technology.
Upon arrival, His Majesty was received by Nami chief executive officer Fedor Nazarov.
Also present were Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, who is also the Minister-in-Attendance, Foreign Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin, and Malaysian Ambassador to Russia Datuk Cheong Loon Lai.
The visit began with a briefing by Nazarov and a video presentation on Nami, a premier Russian scientific and engineering institute established in 1918 as the country's first automobile research laboratory.
Nami is among Europe's largest automotive testing centres, with laboratory facilities, test tracks, and a special zone for autonomous vehicles.
Among its key projects is the development of the Aurus luxury vehicle range, designed and manufactured at Nami facilities.
His Majesty showed keen interest in the institute's operations, vehicle models and production processes, posing various questions throughout the visit.
Sultan Ibrahim later toured the showroom with Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Albert Karimov, before visiting the assembly plant.
Before concluding the visit, His Majesty took the wheel of an Aurus vehicle for a brief test drive.
Sultan Ibrahim is currently in Moscow for a state visit to Russia at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin. - Bernama
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Johor pioneering wastewater recycling in data centre operations, says MB
Johor pioneering wastewater recycling in data centre operations, says MB

The Star

time29 minutes ago

  • The Star

Johor pioneering wastewater recycling in data centre operations, says MB

JOHOR BARU: Johor has set a national precedent by becoming the first Malaysian state to integrate wastewater recycling into Tier 4 data centre operations, marrying cutting-edge digital infrastructure with sustainable resource management. Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi highlighted that this breakthrough bolsters Johor's position as the leading data centre hub in the country while supporting its long-term economic and environmental strategies. "To date, more than 50 applications for the construction of data centres have been received, with 42 projects already approved as of the second quarter of 2025," he stated. These projects represent RM164.45bil in total investments and have the potential to generate over 6,000 job opportunities for Malaysians, particularly Johoreans. Onn Hafiz, who is also the Machap assemblyman, shared this during the Alternative Water Usage Recognition Ceremony for the Data Centre Industry on Monday (Aug 11). He added that seven new applications involving water usage of up to 76 million litres per day are currently being reviewed by Johor Special Water (JSW) in collaboration with utility providers and the state government. The data centre industry has become a key driver for the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), the Johor Digital Plan, and the state's broader economic transformation agenda towards a competitive, high-value ecosystem. Rapid growth in the sector must be balanced with strategic and sustainable management of energy and water resources, Onn Hafiz emphasised. "To ensure this, the Johor Data Centre Development Coordination Committee was set up, co-chaired by three state executive councillors, to oversee data centre projects through a transparent review process," he said. The committee focuses on ensuring facilities adopt renewable energy sources and alternative water solutions to reduce pressure on the state's potable water supply. JSW, a subsidiary of Permodalan Darul Ta'zim Sdn Bhd, has partnered with national sewerage company Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) to supply alternative water sources for data centre cooling systems. Water supply options include raw water, reclaimed (recycled) water, and desalinated water. Under a 2011 agreement, JSW was granted exclusive rights by IWK to carry out wastewater reclamation projects across Johor for industrial use. As of June 30, JSW had received requests from data centre operators for a total of 136 million litres per day of alternative water supply. On Monday, three agreements were formalised to enhance the integration of reclaimed water into the state's data centre operations. The first agreement between IWK and JSW will channel treated effluent from sewage treatment plants across Johor into reclaimed water production facilities. The second agreement, involving JSW, Bridge Data Centres (BDC), and Computility Technology (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, covers the use of reclaimed water in cooling systems. BDC has been producing reclaimed water since June 9 at its Ulu Tiram plant, while Computility's facility in Iskandar Puteri is scheduled to be operational by December. The third agreement between JSW and DayOne Data Centres Sdn Bhd involves supplying raw water from the Tebrau River to a data centre in Kempas Tech Park, with operations expected to begin in November. Onn Hafiz said the initiative will not only reduce reliance on treated water for industrial use but also reinforce Johor's reputation as a green industry leader.

Shares edge higher in Asia, Nikkei futures near record top
Shares edge higher in Asia, Nikkei futures near record top

The Star

timean hour ago

  • The Star

Shares edge higher in Asia, Nikkei futures near record top

SYDNEY: Major share indexes crept higher in Asia on Monday as upbeat company earnings underpinned high valuations in the tech sector, while a crucial report on U.S. inflation would likely set the course of the dollar and bonds. While Japan's stock market was closed for a holiday, futures pushed up to 42,380 and suggested the cash index will test its all-time high of 42,426 this week. EUROSTOXX 50 futures added 0.2%, while FTSE futures rose 0.1% and DAX futures firmed 0.2%. Trade and geopolitics loom large with a U.S. tariff deadline on China due to expire on Tuesday amid expectations it will get extended again, while President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin are due to meet in Alaska on Friday to discuss Ukraine. The main economic release will be U.S. consumer prices on Tuesday, with analysts expecting the impact of tariffs to help nudge the core up 0.3% to an annual pace of 3.0% and away from the Federal Reserve target of 2%. An upside surprise would challenge market wagers for a September rate cut, though analysts assume it would have to be a very high number given a downward turn in payrolls is now dominating the outlook. "The tone from the Fed has shifted as a number of officials expressed concerns about growth following the July employment report," said Bruce Kasman, chief economist at JPMorgan. "We now expect the Fed to restart its easing cycle in September," he added. "Recession risks are elevated at 40%, but we do not yet see a case for a larger than 25bp series of cuts." Markets imply around a 90% probability of a September easing, and at least one more cut by year end. Trump's pick for Fed governor, Stephen Miran, may or may not be in place in time to vote for a cut in September, while the choice of a new chair has broadened out to around 10 contenders. The prospect of lower borrowing costs has supported equities, along with a run of strong earnings. Analysts at BofA note 73% of companies had beaten on earnings, well above the 59% long run average, while 78% beat on revenue. "While mentions of 'weak demand' ticked up and tariff concerns remain, corporate sentiment and guidance are improving," they said in a note. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures both edged up 0.1% on Monday to near record highs. Analysts were unsure what to make of a report in the Financial Times that tech majors Nvidia and AMD have agreed to give the U.S. government 15% of their revenues from chip sales in China, under an arrangement to obtain export licenses for the semiconductors. CHINA EXPORTS DEFLATION MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.3%, while South Korea was flat having bounced 2.9% last week. Chinese blue chips added 0.5% after data showed consumer price inflation ticked up in July, but producer prices kept falling as the country's massive manufacturing sector exported deflation to the rest of the world. Figures on industrial output and retail sales for July are due on Friday, and forecasts are for a slight slowdown after a jump the previous month. Currencies were quiet with markets thinned by Japan's absence, with the dollar index a fraction lower at 98.066 after slipping 0.4% last week. The euro added 0.2% to $1.1670 and further away from a recent trough of $1.1392, while the dollar dipped to 147.50 yen having met resistance around 147.90. The Australian dollar eased to $0.6520 ahead of a meeting of the Reserve Bank of Australia which is widely expected to sanction a rate cut, having stunned markets in July by skipping an easing to await more inflation data. The figures turned out benign, so investors have again fully priced a quarter-point cut to 3.60%. In commodity markets, gold fell 0.6% to $3,378 an ounce after wild swings last week on reports the U.S. would slap 39% tariffs on some gold bars, which are major exports of Switzerland. Gold futures pared gains on Friday when the White House said it planned to issue an executive order clarifying the country's stance on gold bar tariffs. Oil prices slipped amid risks the talks between Trump and Putin could make progress to a ceasefire in Ukraine and possibly an eventual easing of sanctions on Russian oil exports. Brent dropped 0.6% to $66.22 a barrel, while U.S. crude eased 0.7% to $63.44 per barrel. - Reuters

Malaysia's palm oil stocks rise to highest in nearly two years
Malaysia's palm oil stocks rise to highest in nearly two years

The Star

timean hour ago

  • The Star

Malaysia's palm oil stocks rise to highest in nearly two years

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's palm oil stocks rose for a fifth consecutive month in July to their highest level in almost two years as production growth outpaced exports, data from the industry regulator showed on Monday. The rise in inventory in the world's second-biggest producer of the tropical oil could weigh on benchmark Malaysian futures, which were trading near their highest in nearly four months. Palm oil inventories at the end of July rose 4.02% over the month to 2.11 million metric tons, the highest since December 2023, data from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) showed. Crude palm oil production was up 7.09% in July from June to 1.81 million tons, the highest since September last year, while palm oil exports increased by 3.82% to 1.31 million tons after a large fall in June, the MPOB said. A Reuters survey had forecast Malaysian inventory at 2.25 million tons, with output seen at 1.83 million tons and exports at 1.3 million tons. Malaysian July exports were capped by aggressive selling at a discount by rival Indonesia, which wanted to ship as much as possible before a higher export duty becomes effective in August, said Tajgir Rahman, general manager, trading and procurement at IFFCO. Exports from Malaysia will rise in August, as Indonesia's move to raise its export tax narrows the discounts that Indonesian shipments had been enjoying over Malaysian supplies, he said. Malaysia's palm oil exports in the first ten days of August rose 23.3% compared to the first ten days of July, cargo surveyor Intertek Testing Services said on Sunday. The rise in palm oil stocks is not burdensome for the market, as production in August is underperforming, while exports are picking up, said Anilkumar Bagani, research head of Mumbai-based vegetable oil broker Sunvin Group. - Reuters

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store