
Perak provides RM5,000 aid to families of FRU officers killed
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad noted that similar aid had been extended to the families of victims from a Royal Malaysian Navy helicopter crash previously and said the current assistance was approved at a state executive council meeting.
'The RM5,000 contribution has been facilitated by Yayasan Bina Upaya (YBU) and delivered to the bereaved families,' he told reporters after launching the Perak State Digital Economy Action Plan 2030 and the Smart City Blueprint 2040 here today.
Also present were State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Sandrea Ng Shy Ching, and State Communications, Multimedia and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) Committee chairman Mohd Azlan Helmi.
The fatal collision occurred at 8.50 am when an FRU lorry carrying 18 officers from Unit 5 in Sungai Senam collided with a stone-laden truck while returning from duties in Teluk Intan during the Chitrapournami festival.
Nine officers were killed and nine others were injured.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
![[UPDATED] Don't procure 'rubbish' for GGK, King warns](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fimages%2Farticles%2FTuanku_1755315126.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[UPDATED] Don't procure 'rubbish' for GGK, King warns](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fassets%2FNST-Logo%402x.png%3Fid%3Db37a17055cb1ffea01f5&w=48&q=75)
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
[UPDATED] Don't procure 'rubbish' for GGK, King warns
KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, has warned against the procurement of "rubbish" assets that do not meet the Special Forces Regiment's (GGK) needs. In his royal address at the GGK's 60th anniversary celebration in Mersing, the king said the government must prioritise improving the regiment's readiness by ensuring all procurements are done carefully. Sultan Ibrahim, who is the GGK Colonel Commandant, said purchases must be based on the real needs of the user and market price, not on agents' recommendations. He said buying irrelevant or overpriced assets is wasteful and a loss to the nation. "Don't waste time buying rubbish that does not meet the military's needs. If you don't know the price, ask me first," Sultan Ibrahim said in his royal address. He said five years ago he spoke out against the procurement of a Rigid Riding Craft, which cost RM5 million, though a better boat could have been purchased for under RM2 million. "Recently, I found out there was a proposal to buy the same boat, but a slightly larger one, for almost RM10 million. This is illogical and needs to be properly reviewed," the king said. "Besides the price, the quality of the purchased goods must also be prioritised. "What happened to the combat diving pool at this camp that was supposed to be finished in 2022, but still cannot be used until now?" Sultan Ibrahim said. The delay in the construction of the diving pool at a military camp in Mersing was previously reported to be affecting the training of GGK officers and soldiers. Then, Sultan Ibrahim demanded accountability over the matter.


The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
Minister: National Service Training mandatory
PETALING JAYA: Participation at the National Service Training Programme 3.0 is mandatory and those who fail to attend without a reasonable excuse may face legal action, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He added that legal action is in line with the National Service Training Act 2003 (Act 628), and involves a fine of up to RM3,000, a jail term of not more than six months, or both. He said to address the issue of absenteeism, the ministry would carry out a number of strategic initiatives before proceeding with any legal action. 'Firstly, we will deliver official attendance notices via registered mail, announce the trainee name lists through official media channels and social media and carry out active tracing efforts involving visits to their homes. 'Secondly, deferments are limited to a maximum of two times, subject to valid reasons that are submitted and supported by relevant documentation. 'Thirdly, if a trainee still fails to attend after the deferment period has ended, a counselling session with family members will be arranged as a final intervention to obtain feedback. 'If all diplomatic approaches and support mechanisms fail, legal action will be strictly enforced in accordance with Act 628.' Mohamed Khaled said two series of National Service Training Programme 3.0 had begun in January and had shown positive progress with the participation of 560 trainees aged between 17 and 27. He said all ethnicities were involved in the training programme, including 370 Malays, 91 Chinese, 74 Indians and 25 from other ethnic groups.


New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Babies can wait: Young Malaysians choose stability over parenthood
ADILLAH Zaki and her husband are putting off having a baby until their late 20s because of concerns over the expense of raising a child. The couple, both 26, believe they need to earn a combined RM10,000 a month to raise children comfortably. Adillah, a legal analyst, said her friends shared her worries and believed that more support for working parents, like daycare at the office, would help. But she said these facilities should be tightly regulated to curb abuse. A 36-year-old woman, who wished to be identified only as Charlotte, said a household income of RM15,000 would make having children manageable. "Anything less, you'll probably feel the pinch," she said. Charlotte and her 38-year-old husband initially wanted to have children. But their plans changed due to life's pressures. "Life's expensive, work is stressful and by the time you get home, you're already drained. "It just doesn't feel like the best environment to raise a child right now. We looked at the bigger picture, such as the economy, political scene and how expensive life has become. "Even basic things like buying a home or paying for education are huge challenges. "So we decided it's better to focus on living the life we want rather than struggle to raise a child in a world that feels this uncertain," said the Kuala Lum-pur resident. Charlotte said the topic of children often came up at family gatherings, but a joke about rising living costs would put the subject to rest. She said existing policies also did not meet what working parents need to raise children. "Affordable, good quality childcare and longer parental leave for mothers and fathers would make a huge difference. "Right now, it often feels like parents are left to figure it all out on their own, and that is a big reason many think twice about having kids." Charlotte said it was necessary for family-friendly policies to also be applicable to men, as caring for children was not just a woman's job. Adillah and Charlotte's justifications for postponing parenthood are indicative of the trend among young adults nationwide. In the first quarter of this year, 93,500 live births were recorded nationwide, down from 105,613 in the same period a year ago. Every state and Federal Territory saw a dip in births. In Sarawak, where Adillah is based, the crude birth rate per 1,000 population was 2.7, in line with the national average but higher than most states. The Sarawak government is concerned about the downward trend, which is more dire in other states, especially Penang. Penang recorded only 2.2 births per 1,000 population in the first quarter of this year, down from 2.5 in the same period a year ago. The Statistics Department recorded 27,337 births in Penang in 2000, but only 19,579 in 2023. Penang Social Development, Welfare and Non-Islamic Affairs Committee chairman Lim Siew Khim said the rising cost of living and childcare, people getting married later, gender bias in the workplace and concerns over work-life balance were contributing to the problem. "Our current work culture does not adequately support work-life balance, especially for women. "Pregnancy and parenting are often perceived as obstacles to career progression, resulting in hesitation among women to start families. "This imbalance also stems from the lack of shared parental responsibilities and outdated workplace norms," Lim said. She said the Penang government introduced the Mempelai Emas initiative — a one-off RM500 payout for newly married couples — to encourage youths to tie the knot. It also launched the Anak Emas initiative, a cash incentive which parents can apply for upon the birth of a child in Penang. "However, we acknowledge that financial incentives alone are not sufficient to reverse this demographic trend. "The state believes that more structural reforms are needed. "Penang needs better family-friendly policies, including flexible work arrangements, improved childcare support and equal parental leave policies. "Employers must move away from outdated mindsets that view flexi-hours as reduced productivity, and instead adopt inclusive policies that empower mothers and fathers to balance their careers and family life." Lim said a cultural shift of seeing parenting as a shared duty between husband and wife was needed. "Only with equal access to parental benefits and workplace opportunities can we build an environment where having children is no longer seen as a burden, but a shared societal investment," she added. Universiti Putra Malaysia economist Associate Professor Dr Ida Md Yasin said the high cost of living was among the main reasons for the drop in birth rates, alongside greater access to higher education. "At the age of 23 or 24, women are graduating from higher education and looking for a job. Only after that, will they start a family and have children." She said there were more female students compared with males in degree or diploma programmes. "The women perform well. But when we look at the workforce, these girls go missing." She added that working women needed more support to strike a balance between careers and motherhood.