13MP: 'Let EPF contributors decide on full withdrawal or monthly payout'
This followed Putrajaya's unveiling of its 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) yesterday, where the government said it wants to explore a new mechanism that can ensure a more steady and continuous financial payout for EPF members.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
40 minutes ago
- The Sun
KLIA immigration corruption and 13MP debate in Dewan Rakyat today
KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat session today will address pressing issues, including corruption and malpractice involving Immigration officers at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The matter follows recent exposures of the 'Fly and U-turn' syndicates. Lee Chean Chung (PH-Petaling Jaya) will question the Home Minister on the timeline for resolving these issues during the question-and-answer session. Meanwhile, Rushdan Rusmi (PN-Padang Besar) will seek clarification from the Transport Minister regarding guidelines for special vehicle registration plates and revenue generated from their sales over the past five years. Chow Kon Yeow (PH-Batu Kawan) will direct inquiries to the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation on improving flood management fund distribution and establishing a dedicated river maintenance system similar to MARRIS. Additionally, Datuk Ali Biju (PN-Saratok) will ask the Communications Minister about plans to expand the Integrated Radio and Internet Communication System (PRIME) in Sabah and Sarawak for disaster preparedness. The session will conclude with a debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), themed 'Melakar Semula Pembangunan,' tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last Thursday. The 13MP outlines Malaysia's development roadmap from 2026 to 2030. The current Dewan Rakyat sitting continues until August 28. - Bernama
Daily Express
40 minutes ago
- Daily Express
Prime Minister praises Hajiji's Blue Economy initiative
Published on: Monday, August 04, 2025 Published on: Mon, Aug 04, 2025 By: Sherell Jeffrey Text Size: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor attend the launch of the 2025 National Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen's Day (HPPNK) in Kota Kinabalu August 3, 2025, accompanied by Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu. — Bernama pic Kota Kinabalu: PM Anwar lauded Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor's Blue Economy initiative which has been incorporated into the 13th Malaysia Plan. 'For the past two years, especially last year, Hajiji repeatedly mentioned the Blue Economy to me,' Anwar said at the National Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen Day closing ceremony at Sabah International Convention Centre, Sunday. 'I know about the Blue Economy, but I see that Sabah is so committed and we have embraced this thinking and found ways to collaborate between the Federal and State governments because this creates strength,' he said, praising Hajiji's forward-thinking leadership in championing sustainable economic development. The Blue Economy concept encompasses various sectors including fisheries, agriculture, solar energy and green energy from sea, land and air. Anwar credited Hajiji for driving this transformative approach which has now gained national recognition and adoption. He also pointed out the importance of unity and cooperation between Federal and State for Malaysia's progress. 'To make our country successful, let us work together. If we want to elevate dignity, for the sake of Sabah and all of Malaysia's states, let us cooperate, give way and jointly raise our country's interests,' he said. Anwar also spoke about how this collaborative approach has already yielded results in agricultural production and pointed out Malaysia's unexpected success in producing onions, chili and most recently, avocados that were previously heavily imported. 'Who would have thought that Malaysia, through Sabah's fertile land and State Government cooperation, could produce avocados, a fruit that attracts attention and has high demand and now the results are effective,' he said. He noted that Malaysia's import bill for agricultural products had reached over RM50 billion, making domestic production initiatives even more important for the nation's food security and economic stability. 'The success in producing previously imported crops demonstrates what can be achieved through focused cooperation between various agencies including Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, the Department of Agriculture and Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority,' he said. He said the current Federal Government operates under strict principles of service rather than exploitation. 'The current Federal Government leadership has set conditions whereby we cannot take interests, whether land, timber or shares from the states. We come to serve the states. There are no conflicts between the Federal and State governments,' he said. He also noted that farmers, breeders and fishermen form the core majority of Malaysia's population and require a peaceful nation, stable government and complete cooperation between federal and state levels. 'States cannot work separately. The Federal government cannot work separately. The better our cooperation, the better it is for the people.' He expressed confidence that the Blue Economy approach, born from Sabah's initiative but now adopted nationally, will serve as a model for sustainable development across Malaysia. He credited this shift to the focused attention and close cooperation between government levels, setting a new paradigm for how federal-state partnerships can drive meaningful economic transformation. * 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
The Sun
40 minutes ago
- The Sun
Cautious optimism over Malaysia's ambition to become AI-driven nation
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's bold plan to become an AI-driven nation by 2030 unveiled under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) has drawn cautious optimism from both industry and academia, who agree the roadmap is ambitious but achievable if executed effectively. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's 13MP positions AI (artificial intelligence) as a key driver of Malaysia's transition to a high-value digital economy, anchored by initiatives such as the National AI Action Plan, MyDigital ID and major foreign investments in AI and cloud infrastructure. Cybersecurity firm LGMS Bhd's chairman, Fong Choong Fook, said the initiatives signal a turning point for Malaysia's digital ecosystem. 'Malaysia's tech ecosystem stands to gain the most from three key areas in the 13MP,' he said, citing the acceleration of the National AI Action Plan, the full digitalisation of public services by 2030, and major foreign investments as game-changers. 'First, the acceleration of the National AI Action Plan and full digitalisation of public services will unlock huge demand for AI, cybersecurity and GovTech solutions,' Fong explained. 'Second, the MyDigital ID and unified GovTech gateway are critical where they lay the digital infrastructure needed for secure transactions, identity management and seamless service delivery.' Fong noted that large-scale foreign commitments are already reshaping Malaysia's digital landscape. 'Major investments like Microsoft's RM10 billion AI and cloud initiative and ByteDance's RM10 billion data centre and AI hub in Johor signal strong global confidence and will directly fuel job creation and knowledge transfer,' he said. Despite these positive developments, Fong cautioned that several structural challenges must be addressed to fully realise RMK13's ambitions. 'Talent remains the biggest bottleneck. We're seeing a lot of reskilling efforts, but these must be laser-focused on industry-relevant AI and digital capabilities,' he said. He also highlighted weaknesses in Malaysia's early-stage funding ecosystem. 'We still lack a robust pipeline for seed-to-Series A capital, especially for deep tech and AI-driven start-ups.' On regulation, Fong called for clearer governance frameworks to support innovation responsibly. 'AI ethics, safety and data use policies are still evolving. Clearer rules are essential to enable responsible innovation at scale,' he said, while commending Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo for laying strong groundwork through the National AI Framework and the establishment of the National AI Office. Universiti Malaysia Kelantan Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Big Data director Dr Muhammad Akmal Remli echoed the view that 13MP's AI push is a milestone moment, but stressed that implementation will determine success. 'The initiatives outlined in 13MP reflect a comprehensive and holistic approach. It's encouraging to see AI positioned as a top national priority,' he said. 'This clear direction signals strong political will to integrate AI into key sectors and public services.' Akmal welcomed the plan's focus on strengthening research, development, commercialisation and innovation, saying it could create a foundation for deeper collaboration between academia, government and industry. 'This is crucial to help Malaysia move beyond just AI adoption into actual AI innovation and even exports,' he said. Both experts agreed that Malaysia's aspiration to lead Asean in AI by 2030 is ambitious but achievable, provided key gaps are addressed. 'The real challenge lies in implementation,' Akmal said. 'It's not just about policy documents but ensuring we have the right people, the right expertise and the right strategies on the ground.' He emphasised that Malaysia must first strengthen its talent pipeline by producing more skilled AI practitioners and embedding AI literacy into tertiary and vocational education. Equally important, he said, is boosting funding and incentives for applied AI research to encourage deeper collaboration between industry and academia. Akmal also highlighted the need for clear, forward-looking policies on data privacy, ethics and cybersecurity to foster public trust and attract investment. 'Without robust data governance, innovation will be limited, and public confidence will suffer,' he noted. In addition, he pointed out that Malaysia needs stronger cloud and high-performance computing infrastructure, as well as greater access to open datasets, to enable meaningful AI innovation. Rather than focusing solely on competing head-to-head with regional players, Akmal said, Malaysia should position itself as a competitive AI hub that fosters collaboration and healthy competition within Asean. Fong said Malaysia's strengths, from cloud infrastructure and 5G rollout to its multilingual workforce, provide a solid platform to build upon. 'With the right focus, especially as Asean Chair 2025, we can position ourselves as a regional AI and digital hub, not by outspending others, but by being the most agile, inclusive and implementation-focused,' he said. Both agreed that continued investment, regulatory clarity and coordinated execution will be critical for Malaysia to transform AI ambition into sustainable economic growth and regional leadership.
