Buy now, pay later, if you can afford it: Dewan passes microloan law
Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying said the requirement would be imposed under the Consumer Credit Bill, which has been passed by the August House this evening.
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Focus Malaysia
an hour ago
- Focus Malaysia
TunM challenges PMX to hold GE to prove his mandate but instead told to spend his twilight years in peace
THE nation's chief gauntlet thrower is at it again – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has openly challenged his once protégé and current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to dissolve parliament and to hold snap elections. Posting on his Facebook page, the centurion sarcastically applauded PMX for his bravery in challenging the opposition to table a motion of 'no confidence' in the Dewan Rakyat. The twice former premier stated the reason for PMX's boldness was that the latter knew the motion would not succeed. This is simply because many parliamentarians feared reprisals if they did not back Anwar and the Madani government. The longest serving PM in the world also claimed that there were those who would end up behind bars if they withheld support for PMX, clearly referring to UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who was controversially granted a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) for his 47 graft-linked charges. The removal of budgetary provisions was also used as a weapon to intimidate MPs, hence the support within the Dewan Rakyat was based on fear. 'Retire for good, TunM' To further illustrate this climate of intimidation, Dr Mahathir also claimed that UMNO members were warned against joining the Turun Anwar rally on July 26. The elderly statesman who lost his deposit in the 2022 national polls went on to argue that PMX needs to seek legitimacy by dissolving parliament and seek a fresh mandate from the electorate. After all, his once-disciple-turned-nemesis is only in Putrajaya because he interfered with the trial of certain political figures to garner their party's support in Parliament. Moreover, it was argued that PMX has nothing to fear as his sycophants had reported a low turnout for the Turun Anwar protest. As expected, there were plenty of reactions to the post with it having already generated 14K likes, 1K shares and 7.3K comments at the time of writing. One commenter pleaded with Dr Mahathir who had administered Malaysia for '22 years and 22 months' to use his influence in nation-building instead by focusing on 'economy, peace and growth'. Others were less diplomatic, pointing out that Tun M would never be happy even if PMX won the 16th General Election (GE16) for a second term. It would then be an endless cycle of demands for national polls followed by calls for a no confidence ad nauseum, claimed one commenter. Another called for patience as polls were just two years away. Dr Mahathir could then set a new record in Langkawi by being the oldest electoral candidate ever. He also chided the former Bersatu and Pejuang founder that he could be the first ex-premier to lose a deposit twice! It was also pointed out that the electorate had already rejected both Dr Mahathir and his progeny in the last election when they both lost their deposits. But the centenarian's ultra-thick hide prevents him from acknowledging this. One commenter advised Dr Mahathir to let PMX carry forward the nation in a fast-changing digital world, believing the country is on good hands. He also contended that the wealth of the latter's offspring will be untouched so long as investigations show they are not ill-gotten. One netizen perhaps offered the best advice to the elder statesman – 'Tun's era has past, be aware that the country needs change'. – Aug 1, 2025
Daily Express
3 hours ago
- Daily Express
One million affordable homes
Published on: Friday, August 01, 2025 Published on: Fri, Aug 01, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: PPR units: Objective to be met through various initiatives. Kuala Lumpur: A total of one million affordable housing units will be developed by the federal government, state authorities and private developers between 2026 and 2035 to provide more Malaysians with access to safe and comfortable homes, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced today. Tabling the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said the initiative will be implemented through a range of programmes including Residensi Madani, the Public Servants Housing Scheme, the New Home Construction Assistance Programme, the Affordable Housing Scheme and Rumah Bakat Madani. 'The government remains committed to ensuring access to quality, affordable and inclusive housing,' he said, adding that as of this year, 180,000 housing units have been completed, with another 235,000 currently under construction. Despite these efforts, Anwar acknowledged that structural issues, such as the mismatch between housing supply and demand, as well as property prices that remain beyond the reach of many, continue to pose challenges. To address these concerns, he said initiatives such as the Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme and the Rent-to-Own (RTO) programme will be expanded, enabling more low- and middle-income Malaysians to purchase homes. He added that the adoption of modern construction technologies, including the Industrialised Building System (IBS) and Building Integrated Management, will help expedite housing delivery and reduce construction costs, particularly for public housing projects. Anwar also highlighted Kota Madani in Putrajaya, a collaboration between the government and Putrajaya Holdings, as a model for future affordable housing development. The project embodies the concept of umran hadhari, which refers to urban prosperity rooted in values, ethics and sustainable development. 'This approach offers citizens not only a place to live, but a meaningful urban lifestyle that integrates progress with values, modernity with ethics and technology with humanity,' he said. The 13MP, themed 'Melakar Semula Pembangunan' (Redesigning Development), covers the period from 2026 to 2030 and aims to reform the country's socio-economic agenda in line with the Malaysia Madani framework. The plan outlines key policies, strategies and initiatives to strengthen nation-building, enhance public well-being, promote environmental sustainability, improve governance, as well as drive regional and global economic growth.
Daily Express
4 hours ago
- Daily Express
1.2 million jobs via TVET, digital econ
Published on: Friday, August 01, 2025 Published on: Fri, Aug 01, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: Kuala Lumpur: The government will introduce the Perkasa Madani TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Financing Scheme and the TVET Training Fund to encourage youth participation. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when tabling the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) with the theme 'Redesigning' at the Dewan Rakyat, said that the TVET programme would also be expanded to tahfiz students to produce Madani huffaz technocrats with added value in technical expertise. The government, he said, will also expand the TVET curriculum to include the field of ageing with special incentives for students undergoing industrial training. 'TVET programmes are gaining popularity. In 2024 alone, 212,000 new admissions into TVET programmes were recorded,' he said, adding that the Madani TVET programme will be strengthened to increase the mastery of skills that can generate higher income, including for tahfiz and huffaz students. 'At the same time, the level of TVET certification will be increased by introducing three new levels of expertise, six to eight, to be equivalent to the level of higher education qualifications under the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF). This effort aims to recognise high skills in technical fields and expand career paths, in line with market needs,' said the prime minister. Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said TVET graduates are also enjoying increasingly competitive incomes, most of which exceeded the minimum wage of RM1,700. 'About 95.6 per cent of TVET graduates are able to secure employment within six months of completing their training,' he said. He said the close collaboration between TVET institutions and industry would serve as a catalyst for technological transfer and skills enhancement in line with initiatives by the Ministry of Higher Education. 'The structure of TVET programme offerings will be re-strategised with a focus on high-growth, high-value (HGHV) and advanced technology-based industries. 'This is in line with labour market demands and strategic industry needs such as in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), the Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park (KIGIP) project and the Kulim Hi-Tech Park (KHTP),' he said. He said the government is targetting the creation of 700,000 new job opportunities in the manufacturing sector and another 500,000 career creations in the digital economy during the 13MP period. * 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
