Latest news with #JANM
Barnama
17-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
RM13.3 Billion In WTD Recorded As Of Last April
BATU PAHAT, May 17 (Bernama) -- A total of RM13.3 billion in Unclaimed Money (WTD) was recorded by the Accountant General's Department (JANM) until last April. Accountant General Nor Yati Ahmad revealed that since the establishment of the unclaimed money (WTD) system in 1977, only about RM4 billion has been successfully claimed by rightful owners or their heirs. She said this situation likely occurred because many individuals or their heirs were either unaware that they had unclaimed money records or had never taken the initiative to check with the Accountant General's Department of Malaysia (JANM). "They can actually check or submit a claim application via the official portal or eGumis application and go to JANM branches in each state. "We will also continue to intensify promotions and field activities to publicise the existence of this WTD because it can only be issued by the owner or heir," she told reporters after opening the Kampung Angkat MADANI (KAM) and Santuni MADANI Programme at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Minyak Beku, here, today. Meanwhile, speaking about the KAM programme, she said that various activities were organised to support the local community and implement development projects, particularly those involving infrastructure improvements. He explained that in addition to the WTD counter, opened in collaboration with Bank Rakyat for the opening of children's savings accounts with a RM20 incentive per account, several other community-focused activities were also carried out. 'Among the physical development projects were upgrading water supply pipelines, repairing Islamic halls, constructing cemetery fences, enhancing funeral management facilities, and handing over a funeral van,' she said. She said the KAM programme aims to bridge the development gap between rural and urban areas by improving essential infrastructure, community facilities, and ensuring internet access is not overlooked.
Malay Mail
17-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Malaysia's unclaimed money reaches RM13.3b, only RM4b claimed since 1977, says Accountant General
BATU PAHAT, May 17 — A total of RM13.3 billion in Unclaimed Money (WTD) was recorded by the Accountant General's Department (JANM) until last April. Accountant General Nor Yati Ahmad revealed that since the establishment of the unclaimed money (WTD) system in 1977, only about RM4 billion has been successfully claimed by rightful owners or their heirs. She said this situation likely occurred because many individuals or their heirs were either unaware that they had unclaimed money records or had never taken the initiative to check with the Accountant General's Department of Malaysia (JANM). 'They can actually check or submit a claim application via the official portal or eGumis application and go to JANM branches in each state. 'We will also continue to intensify promotions and field activities to publicise the existence of this WTD because it can only be issued by the owner or heir,' she told reporters after opening the Kampung Angkat Madani (KAM) and Santuni Madani Programme at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Minyak Beku, here, today. Meanwhile, speaking about the KAM programme, she said that various activities were organised to support the local community and implement development projects, particularly those involving infrastructure improvements. He explained that in addition to the WTD counter, opened in collaboration with Bank Rakyat for the opening of children's savings accounts with a RM20 incentive per account, several other community-focused activities were also carried out. 'Among the physical development projects were upgrading water supply pipelines, repairing Islamic halls, constructing cemetery fences, enhancing funeral management facilities, and handing over a funeral van,' she said. She said the KAM programme aims to bridge the development gap between rural and urban areas by improving essential infrastructure, community facilities, and ensuring internet access is not overlooked. She noted that the implementation of KAM in Johor marks the second such initiative after its successful rollout in Kampung Lubuk Antu, Sarawak, last year. — Bernama
Japan Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Japanese American museum head laments Trump-led cuts to financing
Ann Burroughs, president and CEO of the Japanese American National Museum (JANM), has expressed sadness about grant cuts by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, in an interview with Jiji Press. JANM invites teachers from all over the country to its workshops on the history of the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. The Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk, has stopped funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities, which financially supports museums and libraries. The move has affected JANM, leading it to suspend the workshop program. "We were saddened but not surprised," Burroughs said of the move. JANM staff were disappointed because they had to inform teachers who had qualified for the workshop that it might be canceled, she added. "Federal funding typically accounts for about 10% of our annual operating budget, which is significant," she said. Among other affected JANM projects was the renewal of the air-conditioning facility, which is needed to preserve its collection of over 160,000 items. The museum was able to procure enough funds for the workshop thanks to donations from individuals nationwide within about a week, Burroughs said. She expressed hopes for support from private organizations, noting that $1.25 million is needed for the air-conditioning facility. "There is a disturbing effort to suppress the stories of untold histories, diverse voices and the contributions and struggles of communities across America," Burroughs said. "This effort undermines the hard-won protections for historically marginalized communities." "Museums like JANM create educational opportunities for younger generations to grapple with complexity," she noted. "At JANM, we embrace and honor the complexity of Japanese American history." Trump's executive order against "anti-American" ideology aims to "replace nonpartisan, research-based and comprehensive history of the U.S. with a grandiose and simplistic narrative that omits the nation's injustices, mistakes and dark chapters," she said. "There is no way to separate this difficult history, nor the culture and accomplishments of Japanese Americans, from a greater understanding of America's cultural and ethnic diversity," Burroughs stressed. She added that the museum's board chair, Bill Fujioka, said that the organization will not sacrifice its values out of fear of losing funding. "We must continue to embody our mission, carry the lessons of history forward and celebrate the nation's rich diverse stories and untold histories," Burroughs stated.
06-05-2025
- Politics
On Teacher Appreciation Day, Trump cuts affecting profession in a 'huge way'
The Trump administration has made dozens of cuts that some teachers say could impact their profession in a 'huge way,' according to educators in terminated programs who spoke with ABC News. Before Teacher Appreciation Day, which is celebrated on Tuesday as part of Teacher Appreciation Week, the administration has slashed professional development initiatives, preparation programs, and other federally funded education projects that the administration has deemed as divisive and run afoul of its priorities. Cuts are affecting the experiences that 'empower teachers' Melissa Collins, who was Tennessee's Teacher of the Year in 2023, said professional learning grants through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) made her a better teacher. Collins told ABC News the opportunity to attend programs at museums or colleges allowed her to enhance her skills. At the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) last summer, Collins participated in the Landmarks of American History and Culture workshop entitled 'Little Tokyo: How History Shapes a Community Across Generations.' 'I have received the best professional learning experience that I could ever receive that is going to impact my classroom and so many others,' Collins said in a video by JANM. However -- like many federal education awards -- the NEH grant was terminated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the programming is no longer offered due to the administration's 'shifting priorities,' according to a termination notice reviewed by ABC News. 'As teachers, we strive to improve for our students, but currently, budget cuts are affecting the experiences that empower teachers to serve their schools and communities effectively,' Collins wrote in a statement to ABC. Former teacher Dani Pierce was educator liaison at the department of education before losing her job this spring under the agency's reduction in force efforts as Trump hopes to abolish the department completely. Pierce stressed the work teachers do in the classroom each day is 'immeasurable' and often goes unseen. But during Teacher Appreciation Week this year many in the education community, including Pierce, grapple with the prospect of a shuttered department. 'It pains me deeply not to be at the Department right now, leading our teacher appreciation efforts or ensuring teachers have a voice in the policies that affect your schools and students,' Pierce wrote in an open letter to the teachers of America. 'I may be RIFed from my role as your liaison to the Department, but I will never stop working to ensure your voices are heard and your contributions receive the recognition and support they deserve,' Pierce added. Teachers across the country tell ABC News they continue to face major hurdles in the classroom -- including staffing shortages, the pinch of low pay and addressing students' mental health -- many of which stem from closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. DEI initiatives "inconsistent" with fairness and excellence in education On the other hand, the next generation of teachers are also affected by the administration's cuts. One of Trump's top pledges is to root out diversity, equity and inclusion programs and any practices that discriminate on the basis of race. Some of the most recent actions taken by the education department include cutting grants that contribute directly to educator diversity. The agency terminated the CREATE project, formerly at Georgia State University, because the program conflicted with the department's policy of prioritizing merit, fairness and excellence in education, according to a termination letter obtained by ABC News. The federal funding was deemed 'inconsistent' with the department's objectives because the program promoted DEI initiatives or unlawful discrimination practices. But Veteran Educator Kofi Kenny said the organization contributed hundreds of millions of dollars toward promoting novice teachers. Kenny told ABC News the teacher residency program helped place the majority of its student teachers into underserved schools in the Atlanta Public School system. She called the administration's termination notice 'dismissive.' 'It was very disrespectful to the work that we have put our blood, sweat and tears into -- ensuring that this community that we are serving in has quality educators,' Kenny said.
Japan Times
10-04-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Japanese American National Museum hit with subsidy cuts
The Japanese American National Museum, or JANM, in Los Angeles is struggling with subsidy cuts by the Elon Musk-led "Department of Government Efficiency," also known as DOGE. The museum said that the subsidy cuts may force it to cancel workshops for teachers on the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. The museum expected to receive about $190,000 in funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, but that is now uncertain due to the termination of subsidies for the public organization that provides funding to museums and libraries. More than 100 teachers from 31 states attended the workshops in the past two years. The museum has received some donation offers following local media reports on the situation, but it is still $93,600 short of funding for this year's workshops, which will be attended by 72 teachers. "Affecting museums and libraries nationwide, these cuts are part of the current administration's attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion and its ongoing efforts to erase history," William Fujioka, chair of the museum's board of trustees, said in a statement. Since the start of his second term, U.S. President Donald Trump has been working on the abolition of diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs. "Our museum stands as a place of memory, truth, and justice, where history is not only preserved but actively used to confront contemporary threats to democracy and human dignity," Fujioka said. "At a time when many agencies and organizations have scrubbed their websites of references to DEI, JANM vows to scrub nothing," he added.
