Sabah and Sarawak should welcome digital nomads
Published on: Thursday, June 05, 2025
Published on: Thu, Jun 05, 2025
By: David Thien Text Size: Isaac hoped the Sabah and Sarawak governments would be more welcoming to digital nomads to live and work in their states. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah can be a great choice for foreign and Malaysian digital nomads if electricity and internet connectivity issues are fully resolved. Isaac Leong knows because he was the marketing head of Eveready Battery who used to visit Sabah many years ago to sell his products in blackout prone Sabah. He was surprised to learn that the situation persists until today. Now with Ingenix Consulting, he said this to participants of the Penampang Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCCCI) seminar to Empower Local Businesses recently. Ironically, the organiser cautioned participants that if too many of them charged their mobile devices at the electric sockets provided at the premises, the power line could be tripped. Subscribe or LOG IN to access this article.
Support Independant Journalism
Subscribe to Daily Express Malaysia Access to DE E-Paper
Access to DE E-Paper Exclusive News
Exclusive News Invites to special events
Invites to special events Giveaways & Rewards
1-Year Most Popular
(Income Tax Deductible) Explore Plans
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
35 minutes ago
- Daily Express
Winning numbers, generous heart
Published on: Friday, June 06, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jun 06, 2025 Text Size: For illustrative purposes only. KUALA LUMPUR: A self-employed Malaysian man has donated his entire RM2.15 million Da Ma Cai lottery winnings to his former primary school, fulfilling a vow made during ancestral prayers. According to China Press , his lucky streak began with a small 1+3D bet that earned him RM60, including a RM50 note he tucked into his wallet and forgot. Advertisement While later praying at home, he felt a deep emotional calling and pledged to donate any future lottery winnings to his school. Soon after, he was drawn to the RM50 note in his wallet, where the numbers '140' on the serial caught his attention. He placed a 3+3D Bonus bet using '140' and its reverse '410', and selected the Chinese zodiac sign 'Tiger' to symbolise his gratitude to his mentors. To his amazement, the dmcGO app later revealed the winning combination as '410 + 140' with the zodiac 'Tiger', securing him RM2,151,664. Honouring a promise to his late grandfather and great-grandfather, both former educators, he donated the full amount to his alma mater in a gesture of gratitude. * 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
Sinar Daily
an hour ago
- Sinar Daily
How rising transport costs affect Malaysian fertility trends
Transportation may not be the first topic couples consider when planning for children. Still, the rising costs of car ownership, from monthly repayments to upgrading to a family-sized vehicle, were becoming an essential factor. Transportation may not be the first topic couples consider when planning for children. Still, the rising costs of car ownership, from monthly repayments to upgrading to a family-sized vehicle, were becoming an essential factor. SHAH ALAM – Rising car prices and transport expenses are significantly influencing family planning decisions for young Malaysian couples, moving beyond mere lifestyle choices to become a critical factor in how they envision their future. According to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Lecturer and Specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Dr Siti Hajar Abd Azman, transportation was one of many interlinked socio-economic factors influencing family size in Malaysia. While often overlooked, rising car ownership costs are becoming a key factor for couples planning to have children. 'Determining family size in Malaysia is influenced by a complex web of socio-economic factors, including career aspirations, housing conditions, childcare support, healthcare access and significantly, transportation. "While car ownership may not be the primary determinant of family planning, it often plays a crucial supporting role, especially when considering the cost of living,' she told Sinar Daily. She clarified that while career goals and housing were typically more visible influences, the affordability of a vehicle from purchasing it to maintaining it, insuring it and fueling it, could have real implications on a couple's decision to expand their family. 'For instance, larger families may require bigger vehicles for safety and space, but the financial ability to acquire such vehicles can be limiting. Couples who cannot afford a larger car or feel burdened by transportation costs may choose to delay or reduce the number of children they plan to have,' she said. Dr Siti's insights were drawn from her experience in medical practice, where she had observed a recurring theme in patient consultations. While career goals and housing were typically more visible influences, the affordability of a vehicle from purchasing it to maintaining it, insuring it and fueling it, could have real implications on a couple's decision to expand their family. - Photo generated by Sinar Daily Many patients had brought up the financial strain of car ownership, particularly loan repayments and escalating maintenance costs, as a contributing reason for postponing or reconsidering plans to have children. While transportation expenses were seldom the sole reason behind such decisions, Dr Siti believes they frequently played a role within a larger web of financial considerations. 'These concerns, while not always the main reason, are part of a broader financial picture that includes housing affordability, educational expenses and childcare logistics. "Patients often cite difficulties fitting more children into smaller cars or struggling with the practicality of managing a growing family without a reliable vehicle. These everyday considerations make transportation a very real factor in family planning discussions,' she said. Dr Siti stated that the rising cost of living in Malaysia significantly influenced how families planned for the future. Expenses such as car loans, fuel, maintenance, housing and childcare all played a role in shaping decisions about family size. As a result, she observed that more couples were choosing to have fewer children to preserve their quality of life and ensure financial stability. 'In many cases, families opt for smaller households to maintain a better quality of life and financial stability. Especially in urban centres, the limited living space in apartments and smaller homes also adds to the perception that larger families may not be practical,' she said. Although Malaysia lacks data specifically linking car size or vehicle affordability to national fertility rates, Dr Siti said the trend fits into a regional context. 'Although there may not be specific studies directly linking car size or transportation limitations to fertility rates in Malaysia, regional research supports the idea that socioeconomic growth often leads to declining fertility. "The fertility rate in Southeast Asia has dropped from 5.5 per cent in 1970 to 2.4 per cent in 2015 and continues to decline. These shifts reflect broader economic and social changes, where financial concerns, including transportation, influence reproductive choices. "Studies consistently point to factors like income, housing and healthcare access as significant influences on family size, and material constraints such as the affordability and practicality of car ownership fit into this larger context,' she said. Ultimately, decisions about having children are deeply personal, but they are also increasingly practical. 'While transportation alone may not be the decisive factor in determining family size, it is undeniably part of the broader equation. "As the economic landscape continues to evolve and the cost of living rises, Malaysian couples are increasingly making practical, financially informed decisions about how many children to have and whether their car, or lack thereof, fits into that plan,' she added.
Focus Malaysia
an hour ago
- Focus Malaysia
Muted recovery outlook for Malaysian glove makers as sales volumes decline
THE Malaysian glove sector remains under pressure as persistent oversupply, cautious customer sentiment, and pricing competition continue to weigh on recovery prospects. The latest quarterly results from glove manufacturers under Public Investment Bank (PIB)'s coverage reflected a sequential decline in sales volumes, mainly due to earlier frontloading activities by US customers. 'We gather that customers remain cautious, with most adopting a wait-and-see stance, delaying sizeable purchases amid uncertainty from changes in tariff policy,' said PIB. In light of subdued demand visibility in the near term, PIB downgrades their sector call to Neutral from Overweight. The recent results from Malaysian glove manufacturers under their coverage indicate a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) decline in sales volume, primarily due to earlier frontloading activities by US customers. While tariff adjustments have narrowed the average selling price (ASP) gap between China and Malaysia, China's glove prices remain relatively uncompetitive in the US market (USD27/1k pcs vs. Malaysia's USD20/1k pcs at an 80% tariff). However, the recent invocation of emergency powers has prevented President Trump from enacting broader tariff hikes. Assuming a more conservative scenario where China faces only a 10% reciprocal tariff, China's ASP will be at USD24/1k pcs, significantly closing the pricing gap with Malaysia. Additionally, Chinese producers may absorb part of the tariff cost to defend market share. This will likely keep global ASPs subdued and limit near-term recovery for Malaysian glove makers. Despite losing market share in the US market, Chinese glove manufacturers are aggressively increasing market share in the non-US market especially EU, pricing as low as USD14-15/1k pcs. China is currently expanding capacity outside of China in a bid to retain global competitiveness. 'We observed a 6% decline in natural latex, while nitrile butadiene prices fell by 22% between April – May 2025 compared to the Jan – March 2025 period,' said PIB. While this provides some buffer to sustain operating margins, it also limits the potential for upward revision in ASPs. We anticipate that overall raw material prices to stabilise in the second half of 2025. Meanwhile, USD has weakened against MYR to 4.30 level in May. Nevertheless, PIB does not anticipate any material impact on operating costs or profitability, as USD-quoted raw material costs only constitute 30% of total costs. Any cost savings in ringgit term will act as natural hedge against a lower translated revenue. The Malaysian glove sector remains under pressure, dragged by ongoing oversupply and subdued demand visibility. Key customers continue to adopt a cautious, wait-and-see approach, holding back on large-volume orders amid lingering market uncertainty. Meanwhile, raw material costs are trending lower, providing some cost relief but limiting the upside potential for ASPs. Given the subdued near-term outlook, PIB downgrades the sector rating to Neutral. —June 6, 2025 Main image: ASEAN Briefing
