
KPDN uses three approaches for smooth Op Kesan 4.0 SST review
Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali outlined the approaches, which include collecting price and service charge data to compare pre- and post-SST changes.
'This data will help monitor any unjustified price increases,' he said during a press conference after engaging with Sabah's small and micro traders.
He emphasised that the ministry will enforce strict penalties under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
Offenders face fines up to RM100,000, three years' imprisonment, or both for individuals, while companies may be fined RM500,000.
Op Kesan 4.0 aims to prevent traders from exploiting the SST adjustments by arbitrarily raising prices.
The enforcement will cover goods and services affected by the tax review, as well as essential items not included in the changes.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Hong Kong's famous dim sum Metropol Restaurant to close in September as HKUST buys the space
A restaurant known for serving dim sum from traditional trolleys will close at the end of September after the venue was acquired by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) for HK$354.4 million (US$45 million). In a reply to the Post, HKUST confirmed on Tuesday that it recently reached an agreement to purchase a property at United Centre in Admiralty for teaching purposes. Records showed the location was the fourth floor, which had been occupied by Metropol Restaurant for more than three decades. 'The university's School of Business and Management has always been setting up teaching facilities in business centres in the urban areas to facilitate classes and interaction for its students and staff,' a university spokesman said. He added the university would use such spaces for other activities to support its long-term development and foster student growth. Records show that Hong Kong Ping Jeng Lau, which operated the Metropol Restaurant and other eateries, had owned the property since 1989. A restaurant employee told the Post that the establishment would remain open until September 27, but had not offered any reason for the closure. The restaurant opened in 1990 and is one of three eateries in Hong Kong operated under the Heichinrou Group, a Japanese brand of traditional Chinese restaurants first established in the Chinatown of Yokohama, Japan, in 1884. On the group's website, Metropol Restaurant is described as the brand's premium eatery for dim sum lunches and banquets. It can accommodate 1,200 people, has five private rooms and is available for small parties or banquets of more than 100 tables. The other two restaurants are located in Diamond Hill and Kwun Tong. A notice in Japanese on the business group's website announced the closure of all its restaurants in Japan on May 20, and that the company had filed for bankruptcy the following day. Metropol Restaurant is one of the few dim sum restaurants in Hong Kong that still serves dim sum from trolleys. In an interview with the Post in 2012, Billy Cheong, then senior vice-president and managing director at Heichinrou Group, said he expected that Metropol would be the only restaurant to still use serving trolleys in busy areas such as Central and Admiralty in the future. He said the rent would be too high for any other restaurant to keep the practice going, as it required operators to hire additional staff and incur extra costs. The restaurant's looming shutdown is the latest in a recent string of closures in the city's catering sector. The 36-year-old Super Star Seafood Restaurant abruptly shut down its last remaining branch last week. Bakery chain Taipan Bread & Cakes, which invented 'snow skin' mooncakes, closed all of its branches last month after 41 years in business. In May, 33-year-old congee restaurant chain Ocean Empire Food Shop also shut all its outlets. Among the reasons cited by some of the eateries were high rents, shifting spending patterns among locals, who often crossed the border for leisure, and declining consumption by visiting mainland Chinese tourists following the Covid-19 pandemic. Simon Wong Ka-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, said the situation had not improved in the catering industry as customers had become more cautious about spending money. 'Traditional Chinese restaurants encounter different challenges. The younger generation doesn't want to dine there,' he said. 'It's hard for the traditional restaurants to make changes; operators have to change their mindset and have to invest a lot to make changes. These restaurants are facing a lot of competition, and it is not easy to recruit new blood.' Vincent Cheung Kiu-cho, managing director of Vincorn Consulting and Appraisal, said it was difficult to find people who were willing to take over such restaurants as operating expenditures were high, including rent and the cost of ingredients and labour. 'Especially when the vacancy rate of commercial buildings is relatively high, if someone is willing to take over the property under such circumstances, it will be easier for the owner,' he said. Cheung said he believed there was a strong demand for facilities operated by tertiary institutions in urban areas as the government was promoting the 'study in Hong Kong' campaign to turn the city into an international education hub. He observed that some university campuses were in remote areas and they could be on the lookout for convenient locations to set up satellite centres for part-time students and those enrolled in external programmes. 'Having centres in the city centre can cater to their needs and provide accessibility for students to attend classes after work or on holidays,' he said. He added some educational institutions had been setting up satellite offices in the urban areas, citing the example of City University's acquisition of spaces in a Tsim Sha Tsui shopping centre. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST


New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Abang Johari calls on local communities to help protect Sarawak's forests
KUCHING: Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg has called on local communities to play a greater role in conserving and protecting forests, which he described as vital reservoirs of natural resources. He said the Sarawak government places strong emphasis on the sustainable management of its natural assets, in line with its development goals. "Under our Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), we have included environmental sustainability as one of the three core pillars. This means we must implement our policies with full consideration of environmental concerns," he said at the state-level International Day of Forests (IDF) celebration at the Forest Research Centre near here today. "I just returned from Japan a few days ago, where I had the opportunity to speak about our sustainability blueprint and our efforts to produce clean, renewable energy for global use. "This was during a global hydrogen conference, and we are fortunate that participating countries acknowledged Sarawak's efforts in contributing to a greener global environment," he said. Abang Johari said the Sarawak government has formulated and implemented various green policies and initiatives that aim to balance development with conservation, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030 Agenda. He said the state's green policy is a strategic response to the dual challenges of climate change and the need to align economic development with environmental preservation. "One of the key focuses of this policy is Sarawak's commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050," he said. He added that the state is working to build a green economy, anchored in the production of green hydrogen, adoption of low-carbon technologies, and nature-based solutions that support sustainable growth. Through the advancement of the hydrogen economy, Sarawak is tapping into its vast hydropower resources to produce green hydrogen, positioning itself as a regional leader in clean and renewable energy solutions. Abang Johari said ongoing efforts are also being made to reduce waste, promote material reuse, and improve solid waste management practices. He added that these efforts are being carried out in close collaboration with local authorities and communities, to ensure a more sustainable and environmentally friendly waste management system. "However, the responsibility for green policies does not rest with the government alone. "It requires active participation from all levels of society, including government agencies, the private sector, educational institutions, NGOs, and the grassroots community," he said. "This is why environmental education from an early stage is so important — to ensure the younger generation understands, appreciates, and adopts sustainable values in their daily lives," he added.

The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
I accept criticism as a challenge, not an attack, says Dzulkefly
PETALING JAYA: I accept criticism as a challenge and not as an attack, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. One and a half years after returning to the post of Health Minister, he said holding such a position was not a privilege but instead a heavy mandate. Throughout the first six months of 2025, Dzulkefly said the ministry had achieved several milestones. Among others, this includes amending the Medical Act 1971 to resolve specialist recognition issues, enforcing the Control Of Smoking Products For Public Health Act (Act 852) and implementing the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 requiring medicine prices to be displayed at private healthcare facilities and community pharmacies. He said the ministry has also pioneered reforms towards healthcare financing through the RESET programme together with the Finance Ministry and Bank Negara. This was carried out as a solution towards medical inflation. Between shaping up or shipping out, I choose to shape up… not with slogans but with my work. 'I believe that systemic reforms are more important than building a perception. 'I cannot promise that everything will be resolved immediately, but I can promise that we listen, act and will never stay quiet,' he said. Dr Dzulkefly issued this statement in response to criticism levelled against him, as Health Minister. Upon returning to the post for a second stint in late 2023, he revealed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had wanted him to complete his 'unfinished business'. He was previously Health Minister during the 22-month Pakatan Harapan administration.