Latest news with #Malaysia
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Malaysians urge government to reject ‘Zionist' Nick Adams as US envoy
Malaysians are urging their government to reject Donald Trump's appointment of conservative provocateur Nick Adams as the US ambassador to their country. Political parties, parliamentarians and members of the public are pressing Anwar Ibrahim's government to reject the MAGA commentator as ambassador to the majority Muslim country over his 'vocal support of Israel's Zionist regime'. Mr Adams, 40, a provocateur with a reputation for making incendiary social media posts, including one in which he referred to pop star Taylor Swift as a 'woke jezebel", was nominated by Mr Trump last week. Mr Adams was born in Sydney before immigrating to the US in 2012. If confirmed by the senate, he would replace Edgard Kagan, who took the job less than 16 months ago. Although Mr Adams, who became a US citizen in 2021, does have prior political experience, he has never been a diplomat. He was a member of Australia's Liberal Party before being driven out over an offensive rant about a journalist. 'Nick Adams is not a diplomat, not a statesman,' Mus'ab Muzahar from Amanah party, a member of the ruling coalition, said. 'He's merely an extreme right-wing propagandist, a Trumpist and vocal supporter of Israel's Zionist regime. His social media rhetoric is full of hatred, racism and Islamophobic sentiments which veer far from mature bilateral relations.' Mr Muzahar warned that Malaysia was "not a testing ground for US political puppets'. Mohamed Sukri Omar, an official of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia, said the government should take a firm and clear stance against the nomination. "Nick Adams is not just a controversial figure. He openly spreads hatred towards Islam and supports the Zionist colonial regime without consideration," Mr Omar said, according to The Star. He said Mr Adams once pressured a restaurant in the US to fire a waitress simply for wearing a "Free Palestine" pin. "This is an inhumane act that demonstrates extreme and hateful attitudes towards the oppressed Palestinian people's struggle," he said in a statement on Monday. His statement referred to a post of X, where Mr Adams proudly claimed to have gotten a waitress fired for wearing a "Free Palestine" pin. "I won't tolerate being served by those who support terror, I stand with Israel," Mr Adams wrote in the post dated 5 August 2024. Malaysia has openly supported the Palestinian people since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023. Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Youth International Relations Bureau warned that Mr Adams's nomination was being viewed with concern due to his "extremist ideologies and divisive rhetoric", which stood in contrast to the Malaysian government. "Such a rejection should not be misconstrued as hostility but rather seen as a necessary measure to safeguard the integrity of bilateral relations and ensure that diplomatic envoys can contribute constructively, in a manner aligned with the shared aspirations of both nations," the bureau's chief, Arief Izuadin, said. The choice of Mr Adams as America's envoy to Malaysia reflected a lack of respect for and understanding of the nation, said Dr Bridget Welsh, a political analyst specialising in Southeast Asia. "Trump's focus on loyalty and political appointees, rather than professional diplomats or regional expertise, will inevitably undercut US engagement with the region,' she told The Straits Times. Malaysia last week said it planned to 'continue discussions' with the US to reach a 'balanced and mutually beneficial trade agreement" after Mr Trump threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on the country from 1 August.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Output to Register an AAGR of 4.4% During 2026-2029, Supported by Investments in Manufacturing and Mixed-use Projects, & NIMP 2030
The Malaysian construction industry is set to grow 6% in 2025, driven by infrastructure investments, with 1,049 projects worth MYR58.8 billion in the pipeline. The 2025 budget allocates funds for key sectors, contributing to growth. "Construction in Malaysia - Key Trends and Opportunities to 2029" offers detailed insights. Dublin, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Malaysia Construction Market Size, Trends, and Forecasts by Sector - Commercial, Industrial, Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Institutional and Residential Market Analysis to 2029 (Q2 2025)" report has been added to construction industry in Malaysia is expected to expand by 6% in real terms in 2025, supported by investments in industrial and transport infrastructure projects. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), the total value of construction work done grew by 16.6% YoY in Q1 2025. By sector, the total value of residential construction work done grew by 27%, while that for non-residential buildings and civil engineering works grew by 21.1% and 3.7%, respectively, during Q1 2025. Moreover, according to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), the government has 1,049 projects in the pipeline, worth a total of MYR58.8 billion ($13.3 billion). The services sector dominates the pipeline with 995 projects, worth MYR31.8 billion ($7.2 billion), while the manufacturing sector accounts for 54 projects worth MYR27.0 billion ($6.1 billion). Growth in 2025 will also be supported by allocations announced as part of the 2025 Budget, under which, MYR64.1 billion ($14.4 billion) is allocated for the Ministry of Education, MYR45.3 billion ($10.2 billion) for the Ministry of Health, MYR10 billion ($2.3 billion) for the Ministry of Housing, and MYR16 billion ($3.6 billion) for the Ministry of Energy. The construction industry is expected to register an annual average growth rate of 4.4% between 2026 and 2029, supported by investments in manufacturing and mixed-use projects, coupled with support from the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), announced in 2023; as part of the plan, the government will invest MYR5 billion ($1.1 billion) to develop 3,000 smart factories in the country by 2030. In March 2025, the Malaysian commercial banking company, Maybank, reported that the country's Johor state is poised to receive up to MYR2.4 billion ($540.8 million) in investments over the next three to ten years, focused on the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).Scope Historical (2020-2024) and forecast (2025-2029) valuations of the construction industry in Malaysia, featuring details of key growth drivers. Segmentation by sector (commercial, industrial, infrastructure, energy and utilities, institutional and residential) and by sub-sector Analysis of the mega-project pipeline, including breakdowns by development stage across all sectors, and projected spending on projects in the existing pipeline. Listings of major projects, in addition to details of leading contractors and consultants Reasons to Buy Identify and evaluate market opportunities using our standardized valuation and forecasting methodologies Assess market growth potential at a micro-level with over 600 time-series data forecasts Understand the latest industry and market trends Formulate and validate business strategies using the analyst's critical and actionable insight Assess business risks, including cost, regulatory and competitive pressures Evaluate competitive risk and success factors Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary2 Construction Industry: At-a-Glance3 Context3.1 Economic Performance3.2 Political Environment and Policy3.3 Demographics3.4 Risk Profile4 Construction Outlook4.1 All Construction Outlook Latest news and developments Construction Projects Momentum Index 4.2 Commercial Construction Outlook Project analytics Latest news and developments 4.3 Industrial Construction Outlook Project analytics Latest news and developments 4.4 Infrastructure Construction Outlook Project analytics Latest news and developments 4.5 Energy and Utilities Construction Outlook Project analytics Latest news and developments 4.6 Institutional Construction Outlook Project analytics Latest news and developments 4.7 Residential Construction Outlook Project analytics Latest news and developments 5 Key Industry Participants5.1 Contractors5.2 Consultants6 Construction Market Data7 AppendixFor more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900Sign in to access your portfolio
The Herald
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald
Northern areas celebrate Seale's place in SA hockey team
Sport Trip to Malaysia for Nations Cup was a tremendous experience, young star says Premium By Bryan Goliath - 14 July 2025 Jamie Seale has become the pride of the northern areas after representing the SA men's senior hockey team in the Nations Cup in Malaysia recently. Seale, 20, who went to school at Triomf Primary in Salsoneville, has described the trip as a tremendous experience. ..
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Ringgit rises as US plans new tariffs on major partners
KUALA LUMPUR : The ringgit opened higher against the US dollar on Monday, lifted by concerns over Washington's plan to impose tariffs on three major trading partners from Aug 1, 2025. Over the weekend, US President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 30% tariff on goods from the European Union and Mexico, and a 35% tariff on Canadian products. At 8am, the ringgit strengthened to 4.2405/4.2635 against the greenback, compared with Friday's close of 4.2475/4.2525. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Afzanizam Rashid said the US had weaponised tariffs to gain economic advantage. 'Clearly, the tariff policy instrument has been weaponised by the US to address economic imbalances. 'This means downside risks to global growth remain elevated, while the risk of higher inflation especially in the US, is becoming more apparent, complicating the Federal Reserve's decision-making on rate cuts,' he noted. Afzanizam added that the ringgit is expected to remain within a narrow range of RM4.24 to RM4.25 amid ongoing global uncertainties. At the open, the ringgit was higher against a basket of major currencies. It advanced against the Japanese yen to 2.8792/2.8950 from 2.8893/2.8929, strengthened against the British pound to 5.7234/5.7544 from 5.7524/5.7592, and gained versus the euro to 4.9546/4.9815 from 4.9679/4.9737 previously. The local note was also firmer against most Asean currencies, except the Thai baht. It rose vis-a-vis the Singapore dollar to 3.3119/3.3303 from 3.3186/3.3228, edged up against the Indonesian rupiah to 261.4/263.0 from 261.8/262.3, and appreciated versus the Philippine peso to 7.51/7.55 from 7.52/7.53. However, it slipped against the Thai baht to 13.0916/13.1711 from 13.0668/13.0886 at Friday's close.
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Ringgit dips slightly against dollar after mixed Fed signals
KUALA LUMPUR : The ringgit opened slightly lower against the US dollar on Friday, supported by a slightly firmer US Dollar Index (DXY) and mixed signals from the US Federal Reserve (US Fed). At 8am, the local note eased to 4.2440/4.2640 against the greenback from Thursday's close of 4.2410/4.2505. The US DXY edged up by 0.10%t to 97.652 points overnight, reflecting mild gains in the greenback. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Afzanizam Rashid said the Fed's policy direction remained uncertain, as officials delivered mixed signals. 'St Louis Fed president Alberto Musalem advocated waiting before cutting rates, while San Francisco Fed president Mary Daly favours two rate cuts this year,' he noted. He added that initial jobless claims came in lower than expected at 227,000 last week, signalling continued strength in the US labour market. 'Meanwhile, the four- and eight-week US Treasury bills saw strong demand from investors, resulting in lower yields,' he said. On the domestic front, Afzanizam noted that the ringgit appreciated by 0.15% to RM4.2458 yesterday, indicating a positive market response to Bank Negara Malaysia's recent 25-basis-point cut in the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR). 'On that note, the ringgit is likely to maintain a steady course today, hovering around RM4.23 to RM4.24,' he added. At the open, the ringgit was mostly higher against a basket of major currencies, except the Japanese yen. It strengthened against the British pound to 5.7629/5.7901 from 5.7716/5.7845, and rose versus the euro to 4.9663/4.9897 from 4.9751/4.9863. However, it slipped slightly against the Japanese yen to 2.9015/2.9154 from 2.9014/2.9081. The local note trended mixed against Asean currencies. It gained against the Thai baht to 13.0144/13.0834 from 13.0196/13.0548 at yesterday's close, and was almost flat versus the Philippine peso at 7.51/7.55 from 7.51/7.53. However, it traded marginally lower vis-à-vis the Singapore dollar at 3.3174/3.3333 from 3.3159/3.3236, and slipped slightly against the Indonesian rupiah to 261.5/262.9 from 261.3/262.1 previously.
