M'sia Mulls Defence R&D Cooperation Wth Other Countries
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the cooperation involves various aspects including Border Security System, Professional Radio System and Air Defence System.
"The government is committed to strengthening local defence capabilities through a comprehensive approach, including the development of technology, weapons systems and strengthening human capital," he said in response to a question by Kamal Ashaari (PN-Kuala Krau) during the question and answer session in Dewan Rakyat today.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
14 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Median monthly wage for formal sector rises to RM3,000 in Q1 2025
PUTRAJAYA: The median monthly wage for Malaysia's formal sector rose 5.5 per cent to RM3,000 in March 2025, up from RM2,844 a year earlier, according to the Employee Wages Statistics (Formal Sector) Report for the first quarter of 2025, released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) today. In a statement today, Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the increase reflects the country's continued economic growth and the impact of the revised minimum wage policy, which has positively influenced the labour market. As of March, he said the formal sector workforce stood at 6.8 million, comprising 55.1 per cent men and 44.9 per cent women. The median wage for male employees remained at RM3,000, while female employees saw a 6.5 per cent increase to RM2,982, compared to a 3.4 per cent rise for men. The highest year-on-year wage growth was recorded among workers under 20, with their median wage rising 13.3 per cent to RM1,700, largely driven by the reimplementation of the minimum wage policy in February. However, a slight drop was observed in the number of workers aged 20 to 24. He added that the mining and quarrying sector posted the highest median wage at RM8,800, although it accounted for just 0.6 per cent of total formal employment. The agriculture sector remained the lowest, with a median wage of RM2,200. Geographically, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur recorded the highest median monthly wage at RM4,445 in March 2025, followed by Selangor at RM3,300. At the other end of the spectrum, Sabah posted a median wage of RM2,000, while Kelantan and Perlis recorded the lowest at RM1,800. Mohd Uzir said 27.4 per cent of Malaysian formal sector workers earned below RM2,000 per month as of March, down 3.8 percentage points from 31.2 per cent in the same month last year. He added that a percentile analysis revealed workers in the bottom 10th percentile earned RM1,700 or less, while those in the top 10th percentile earned at least RM11,000 per month. "This reflects an income gap where the top 10 per cent earn six times more than the bottom 10 per cent," he said. -- BERNAMA
Malay Mail
14 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
No more dropping out: Govt tables Bill to make secondary school compulsory
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — The Education (Amendment) Bill 2025, which seeks to make secondary education compulsory, was tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today. Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh, when tabling the Bill, said the second reading is expected to take place during the current parliamentary sitting. The Bill seeks to amend Section 2 of the Education Act 1996 (Act 550) to substitute the definition of 'compulsory education' to include secondary education. It also proposes a new Section 32A, which provides that every parent whose child is a Malaysian citizen and resides in Malaysia must ensure the child is enrolled in a secondary education institution and remains in school throughout the secondary education period. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in a fine of up to RM5,000 or imprisonment for up to six months, or both, upon conviction. The Bill also states that the proposed amendments will involve additional government expenditure, the amount of which has yet to be determined. — Bernama
Malay Mail
14 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Haze risk rising: Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia face medium threat in 2025, says report
SINGAPORE, July 28 — Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia face a moderate risk of a severe transboundary haze occurrence for the remainder of the year, according to an assessment released Monday by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, reported Xinhua. The latest report marks an increase from the institute's 2024 assessment, which rated the risk as 'low' on its three-tier scale of low, medium, and high. Hike in agricultural prices and the increased rate of deforestation have heightened the risk of fires and haze, the report stated, which in turn points towards a surge in hotspots and smoke haze across parts of Sumatra in mid-July this year. As a consequence, the transboundary haze is anticipated to drift from central Sumatra into parts of Peninsular Malaysia. Economic and policy shifts could also inadvertently drive deforestation and increase haze risk if fire continues to be used for land clearing, the report warned. Looking further ahead, climate trends suggest the possibility of another unusually dry season between 2027 and 2030, which could further exacerbate haze risks. — Bernama-Xinhua
