Latest news with #C4
Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
C4, G25 renew calls for procurement law after latest audit report
The 2025 Auditor-General's Report Series 2 identified serious problems in how over RM460mil of public money was spent on land deals, university tenders and defence contracts between 2020 and 2024. PETALING JAYA : Two independent reform advocates have renewed calls for a legally binding government procurement law, saying it is essential to strengthen transparency, accountability and governance in public spending. In separate statements to FMT, the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) and G25, a group of retired senior civil servants, said the current framework — based largely on non-binding Treasury circulars — lacks the legal force needed to curb abuse and wastage. C4 CEO Pushpan Murugiah said the proposed government procurement law should mandate minimum disclosure standards for tenders, project details and eligibility criteria. 'This is to ensure that such contracts entered into are never fully obscured from public scrutiny,' he told FMT. Pushpan Murugiah. He said the law must also include accountability mechanisms at every stage of a project's lifecycle to ensure that public funds are used effectively. Pushpan also said such a law would allow legal action to be taken against ministries or agencies that fail to comply with procurement rules. He added that while deterrence is important, punitive measures like imprisonment should not be applied indiscriminately without addressing root causes such as coercion or systemic pressures faced by officers. The 2025 Auditor-General's Report Series 2 released on Monday found serious problems in how over RM460 million of public money was spent on land deals, university tenders, and defence contracts between 2020 and 2024. G25 said the repeated issues raised by the latest report reflected systemic governance failures, including poor planning and disregard for financial procedures. 'The proposed law should regulate direct negotiations, unify procurement processes across ministries and statutory bodies, and follow international best practices such as the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law,' the group said. The group also called for stronger enforcement of the Financial Procedure Act 1957 and Treasury Instructions, and urged mandatory training for public servants in procurement and financial governance. It stressed that civil servants must never carry out instructions that violate the law, even if directed by superiors. It also called for deterrent reforms, including criminal liability for senior officials, whistleblower protection, and full autonomy for oversight agencies such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the auditor-general's office. G25 urged the declassification of government contracts currently protected under the Official Secrets Act 1972, saying public access would help reduce corruption, cronyism, and unnecessary spending. A government procurement bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament this year.
Metro
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Who is on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown tonight as it returns on Channel 4?
Hit panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown returns to our screens tonight for a new series. With a cast packed full of comedy stars, Jimmy Carr is back to host once more, alongside Countdown icon and puzzle connoisseur Rachel Riley. Cats Does Countdown has been airing since 2012 as a crossover between the hugely popular 8 Out of 10 Cats and long-running Channel 4 quiz show Countdown. In its early days, Jon Richardson and Sean Lock took on team captain roles. Following beloved comedian Lock's death in 2021, his team has been led by a rotation of guest captains. With Jon still in the captain's seat for his team, let's see who he'll be joined by tonight. You can watch the first episode of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown's 28th series on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight. The episode will then be available on C4's streaming service of the same name. New episodes will air weekly in the same slot on Friday nights in the coming weeks. Jimmy Carr has been hosting Cats Does Countdown for 13 years, while Rachel Riley and Susie Dent assume the same roles as they perform on Countdown—Rachel placing letter tiles on the board and offering solutions, and Susie in Dictionary Corner. Tonight, they'll be accompanied by: Stand-up performer Jon has been part of the Cats Does Countdown family since series 1, having also been a regular team captain on original panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats, which aired from 2005 to 2021. The 42-year-old Lancashire-born star is also known for hosting on BBC Radio 6 and starring with now ex-wife Lucy Beaumont in Meet the Richardsons. They announced their separation last year. In April 2025, Jon stunned fans by revealing he would be retiring from comedy to pursue his childhood dream of teaching. However, he later announced that it was simply an April Fool's gag, and he was actually joining the cast of school-based drama Waterloo Road. Comedian, writer, and actor Richard Ayoade is most famous for playing Maurice Moss in Channel 4 sitcom The IT Crowd, a role for which he won a Bafta in 2014. Nowadays, he's a frequent face on the panel show scene, with recurring appearances on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, has hosted Have I Got News For You, and most recently took part in the hit Amazon Prime reality show Last One Laughing. Amy Gledhill has been a regular on the stand-up scene since 2012. Being the youngest of seven siblings, she often uses this for inspiration in her routines. She's been nominated at the National Comedy Awards, as well as for a best newcomer gong at the Edinburgh Fringe, and, as well as performing solo, is one half of the duo The Delightful Sausage alongside Chris Cantrill. Guz Khan, 39, is known for his TV appearances on Taskmaster, Man Like Mobeen, and Our Flag Means Death. He's also done stand-up on Live at the Apollo. You might also know him from his viral video fame. In June 2015, as his character Mobeen, Guz made a vid feigning outrage at the lead character, Pachycephalosaurus, in the Jurassic World movie. It was watched by hundreds of thousands of people in a matter of days and led to Guz being interviewed by radio stations in the US and Indonesia. Sam Campbell is an Australian comic and actor. He built a comedy career for himself Down Under before moving to the UK in 2022. More Trending That same year, Sam, in his early thirties, won the main prize at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, going on to receive a string of nominations at the Chortle Awards. This included him being voted the Comedian's Comedian by his peers. In 2023, he won the 16th series of Taskmaster and, in 2024, began co-hosting Lucy & Sam's Perfect Brains podcast with Lucy Beaumont. View More » Watch 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown tonight at 9pm on Channel 4. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Who's in the Celebrity SAS 2025 cast? Line-up confirmed including 00s pop legend MORE: Married at First Sight star claims they were sexually assaulted by new partner MORE: This Morning star reveals how her life crumbled an hour after announcing engagement
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Six NGOs reject claim they back Opposition's anti-Anwar rally
KUALA LUMPUR: Six civil society organisations have distanced themselves from tomorrow's planned "Turun Anwar" protest, saying a recent meeting with Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin was unrelated to any political rally. In a joint statement today, Bersih, the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4), Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), Projek Sama, Pusat Komas, and Transparency International Malaysia clarified that their meeting with Hamzah on July 1 was solely to discuss institutional reforms. They said the engagement was part of their regular advocacy efforts and should not be interpreted as support for any political movement. "On this basis, we reject any mid-term change of government through the back door, such as the Sheraton Move that threw the country's politics into disarray in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. "Even if there is a change of government, the new administration may lack clarity or commitment to implement institutional reforms, or may be too fragile to undertake any meaningful change," they said in the joint statement. The organisations issued the statement to clarify concerns over their meeting with the Opposition leader, which was cited during a recent press conference in Parliament as implied support for tomorrow's protest. While affirming their support for the right to peaceful assembly, the groups stressed that calls for reform would be meaningless without improvements to political stability and the broader political system. "We firmly believe the country needs comprehensive, strong, and meaningful institutional reforms for society to move forward with a more just and improved political system." They added that all parties — both in government and in the opposition — must uphold a genuine reform agenda. They also called on the opposition to fulfil its responsibility as a check-and-balance force in Parliament. "The opposition is duty-bound to the rakyat to serve as a check and balance for the betterment of the nation. "Malaysia has so much to offer internationally, and this can only happen if we uphold the values of human rights, good governance, and accountability." They reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing institutional reform and said they would continue engaging with all political parties on the matter. "Our position is crucial as a check-and-balance mechanism for the reform agenda of any political coalition."
The Star
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Watchdogs call for Act to keep govt procurement in check
PETALING JAYA: A comprehensive Public Procurement Act with enforceable legal powers to address long-standing weaknesses in government procurement is urgently needed, say experts and watchdog groups. Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) president Raymon Ram (pic) said the Act must include transparency standards, independent oversight, legal sanctions for non-compliance, whistleblower protections and clear procurement dispute mechanisms. 'Simply consolidating current guidelines is inadequate; we need a law with teeth,' he said in a statement yesterday, following the release of the Auditor-General's Report 2/2025. Raymon also called for swift enforcement by all relevant agencies, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, police and others. 'All cases involving procurement fraud, abuse of power or negligence must be referred for investigation or prosecution. 'Any form of inaction sends the wrong signal to both the public and potential wrongdoers,' he said. TI-M also urged all implicated ministries, departments and agencies to publish clear corrective measures, including recovery of funds, disciplinary steps and procedural reforms, to restore public confidence and show institutional responsibility. Raymon also called for independent experts and third-party observers in all integrity pacts in high-risk procurements. 'The Auditor-General's Report must not be an annual ritual of regret,' he said, adding that 'it must serve as a catalyst for reform, one that rebuilds institutional integrity, ensures justice for wrongdoing and protects the interests of the rakyat.' On the Pre-Qualification (Pre-Q) system of procurement that was trialed and implemented by multiple ministries, Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) chief executive officer Pushpan Murugiah said C4 agreed with the findings of the Auditor-General's office, since the system was found to be inefficient and open to abuse, an open tender system should have been used instead to eliminate or at least reduce corruption risks. 'Based on the Auditor-General's Report in this instance, the goal of efficient procurements through the implementation of the Pre-Q system was hampered by the lack of a maximum period for second-stage invitation, causing them to be unnecessarily prolonged,' he said. The main issue that still needs to be addressed is that there is no legally binding baseline policy that sets the standard for all government procurements, he added. 'C4 Centre has long advocated for a Government Procurement Act that sets out minimum standards of adherence in terms of transparency, reporting and accountability at all stages of the procurement process, from advertising of tender until project implementation. 'We have seen that piecemeal reforms in specific areas of procurement does little to remedy the risks, and only shifts the flaws onto other aspects of the procurement process,' said Pushpan. Malaysia Corruption Watch (MCW) president Jais Abdul Karim said Parliament and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) should also summon the relevant parties for open public hearings. 'We need to accelerate the implementation of the eSelfAudit system, as announced by the Auditor-General, to prevent arbitrary approvals,' he said. On the management of subsidised cooking oils, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) chief executive officer Saravanan Thambirajah proposed an IC-linked purchase system. This, he said, would be similar to the approach used in the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programme. 'By linking purchases to consumers' IC, the authorities will be able to prevent repeat purchases beyond the permitted limit, and ensure that subsidies reach genuine domestic consumers rather than being diverted to the commercial sector,' he noted. He said an improved digital tracking system was needed, allowing authorities to watch for abnormal purchase patterns or unusually high sales, in real time. Saravanan said the issue represented a misuse of taxpayer funds and directly affected low and middle-income households who were the intended beneficiaries of the subsidies. 'While the intention of subsidising cooking oil is to shield vulnerable groups from the rising cost of living, it does not serve the purpose if leakages occur. 'In fact, they worsen the burden on low-income households by creating artificial shortages and driving up prices,' he said, stressing the need to reassess the sustainability of blanket subsidies.
Tom's Guide
19-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
I test TVs for a living — these are the 5 best OLED TVs you can buy right now
I've been testing and reviewing TVs professionally for over a decade, and my pick for the best type of TV you can buy hasn't changed after all of those years: It's OLED. The list of reasons to love OLED TVs is long: perfect black levels, pixel-level dimming and ultra-wide viewing angles, just to name a few. OLED TVs tend to arrive with a boatload of extra features, too. My picks for the best OLED TVs you can buy are constantly shifting. Discounted OLED TVs often go out of stock, while new OLED TVs go on sale throughout the year. With that in mind, here's a snapshot of how I currently rank the five best OLED TVs, factoring in price, performance and availability. My name is Michael, and I've tested and tinkered with nearly every OLED TV released by a major brand since 2014. I'm also the happy owner of OLED TV myself, having taken the plunge a few years ago. I'm kicking things off with one of my favorite deals on a modestly sized OLED TV. The B4 is LG's entry-level OLED TV from 2024, and the 48-inch version is a Best Buy-exclusive. I love this TV, as it brings the many benefits of OLED TVs down to a price point that many will find to be reasonable. The B4 comes with a ton of upside for the price: It supports Dolby Vision, features an elegant design, and offers a full slate of four HDMI 2.1 ports that all support 4K gaming at 120Hz. You'll get slightly better upscaling as you move up LG's OLED lineup, but you can't beat the price of the B4 OLED. For that reason, in our LG B4 OLED review, we called the Editor's Choice TV for the value OLED TV of the year. Looking for an incredible OLED picture without the high price? The LG B4 is the perfect companion. It's not as bright as higher-end OLED TVs, but you still get to bask in the glory of OLED display technology. The C4 is LG's mid-range OLED for 2024, and it's nearly as good as its successor, the C5. It's bright enough for movies and shows to pop, and gamers are in good hands thanks to the C4's robust selection of gaming features. I loved this TV when I first got my hands on it last summer, but it's only gotten better now that its price has fallen significantly after a year on shelves. If newer OLED models are too pricey for what you're looking for, consider grabbing one of last year's top models. Looking for more info? Head on over to our full LG C4 review. The C4 is LG's flagship OLED TV from 2024. It's powered by LG's A9 processor and features a 120Hz panel, Dolby Vision/ HDR10/HLG support, built-in Amazon Alexa, four HDMI 2.1 ports and Apple AirPlay 2 support. The LG C5 is, pound for pound, the best OLED TV for most people right now. It's a brand-new model for 2025, and because of its mid-range status, it offers a satisfying blend of performance and value. You can read more about this five-star OLED in our LG C5 review, but here's the basic gist: You're getting incredible picture quality, a mountain of gaming features and an elegant design for less than what you'd spend on a top-shelf OLED TV. The LG C5 OLED has arrived and it's quickly earned its spot as our top-ranked TV in 2025. With the C5, you get tons of gaming features, including a 144Hz refresh rate built on four total HDMI 2.1 ports. LG's webOS platform also has a slew of free channels to dive into as well as cloud gaming platforms. Don't sleep on this deal. Sony's Bravia 8 II OLED combines the quantum dot enhancement of the brand's incredible QD-OLEDs with the naming convention of its 2024 OLED, the Bravia 8. The Bravia 8 II is all new for 2025, and while we haven't published our official review yet, I can tell you that the test results indicate that this is a very special TV. Its color production is among the best we've ever seen, and its highlight brightness will have HDR movies and games looking real enough to touch. Launched in mid-2025, the Sony Bravia 8 II takes up the mantle of Sony's top OLED from the Sony A95L OLED TV. The Bravia 8 II offers several upgrades, like increased contrast and improved motion handling. It also has some of the widest color coverage of any OLED TV. The Samsung S95F is one of the best OLED TVs ever made. It offers better picture quality than the LG C5 overall due to its use of color- and brightness-boosting quantum dots. It also comes with an overflowing toolbox of features (minus Dolby Vision support) and a matte screen — a design flourish that some folks will adore. Check out our Samsung S95F review for a full report. You'll pay top prices for this TV, but the quality speaks for itself. The Samsung S95F OLED TV is the top Samsung OLED in 2025, offering 165Hz refresh rate on one of Samsung's best upscaling processers. It also has Tizen OS, which is built with tons of free channels not to mention several cloud gaming services, and a full Gaming Hub for all your settings in one place. The S95F also has tons of AI baked into it, like an AI Sound Pro that boosts audio dramatically.
