Latest news with #MustaphaSakmud


Daily Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Express
PH-BN seat talks for Sabah polls finalised
Published on: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jul 29, 2025 Text Size: PH-BN seat talks for Sabah polls finalised Kota Kinabalu: Seat negotiations between Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) for the coming election in Sabah have been finalised, according to PKR Secretary-General Datuk Fuziah Salleh. She said the coalitions would be contesting the election as a team, Berita Harian reported. 'PKR will always welcome cooperation with any party for the coming state election,' she was quoted as saying. However, she did not reveal the number of seats that each coalition would vie for. On Sunday, Sabah PH Deputy Chairman Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said the coalition was eyeing between 23 and 25 seats. In May, meanwhile, Sabah Umno Information Chief Datuk Suhaimi Nasir said Sabah BN was firm in its plan to contest 40 seats. Fuziah's confirmation that PH and BN have finalised seat negotiations comes a day after Gabungan Rakyat Sabah Chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor announced that his coalition would form an electoral pact with PH for the state polls. Hajiji also said seat negotiations with PH had commenced, with a 'basic formula' established, although not finalised. * 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 Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Pakatan eyes 25 seats in polls pact with GRS
KOTA KINABALU: Pakatan Harapan aims to contest up to 25 seats in an electoral pact with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS). Sabah PKR chief Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said he expected the seat distribution to be ironed out soon. 'It has to be discussed with GRS, mainly PGRS (Gagasan Rakyat). We welcome the cooperation. The next step is to discuss seats,' he said after the Gagasan Rakyat annual general assembly here yesterday. Mustapha said Sabah Pakatan would like to contest between 23 and 25 of the 73 seats up for grabs. Sabah PKR won two seats – Inanam and Api Api – in the 2020 state election. It was earlier reported that PKR was eyeing between 13 and 18 seats, with Amanah seeking five, DAP six to eight and Upko up to eight. Mustapha said the pact with GRS was a positive development for political stability in Sabah. 'I want to thank the chief minister for upholding cooperation between GRS and Pakatan. As a Pakatan leader, I welcome it. I think it is good for Sabah and Sabahans,' he added.


New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Make SSPN primary incentive scheme for staff, students
KOTA KINABALU: State governments and public and private agencies are encouraged to prioritise the National Education Savings Scheme (Simpan SSPN) as the main option for incentives to employees and students. Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said Simpan SSPN, managed by the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN), is crucial in ensuring access to education is not hindered by financial constraints. "Since 2004, PTPTN has focused on promoting savings to reduce dependence on loans. Over two decades, Simpan SSPN has maintained strong performance each year and gained public trust," he said when officiating the Simpan SSPN Heritage Children's Carnival (KAWAN) 2025 here today. Mustapha said total deposits under Simpan SSPN reached RM21.93 billion across 6.98 million accounts as of June 30, a milestone reflecting consistent support since its launch in 2004. He urged parents to consider Simpan SSPN as the preferred savings vehicle to secure their children's education. "Saving for education is a long-term investment that ensures our children's future," he said, adding deposits in Sabah alone amounted to RM689.84 million from more than 500,000 accounts. Regarding KAWAN 2025, Mustapha described it as a progressive initiative to foster a savings culture among the younger generation while promoting creativity and appreciation of cultural heritage. He also encouraged parents to leverage the programme as financial preparation for their children's pursuit of higher education. Meanwhile, PTPTN chairman Datuk Seri Norliza Abdul Rahim said depositors enjoy various benefits under Simpan SSPN, including income tax relief of up to RM8,000 annually. "Benefits include takaful protection for depositors, free matching grants of up to RM10,000 per eligible family and competitive, shariah-compliant dividend rates," she said. PTPTN also thanked the Sabah government for providing incentives to the state's residents. Norliza said KAWAN 2025, held simultaneously across 14 states, demonstrates PTPTN's commitment to raising awareness of education's importance and instilling values such as thrift and family resilience to build a harmonious MADANI generation. Earlier today, about 1,000 participants of various ages joined the PTPTN and Sabah Community Run 2025, part of community engagement and healthy lifestyle activities. – BERNAMA

Barnama
4 days ago
- Business
- Barnama
Make SSPN Primary Incentive Scheme For Staff, Students
KOTA KINABALU, July 26 (Bernama) -- State governments and public and private agencies are encouraged to prioritise the National Education Savings Scheme (Simpan SSPN) as the main option for incentives to employees and students. Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said Simpan SSPN, managed by the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN), is crucial in ensuring access to education is not hindered by financial constraints. 'Since 2004, PTPTN has focused on promoting savings to reduce dependence on loans. Over two decades, Simpan SSPN has maintained strong performance each year and gained public trust,' he said when officiating the Simpan SSPN Heritage Children's Carnival (KAWAN) 2025 here today. Mustapha said total deposits under Simpan SSPN reached RM21.93 billion across 6.98 million accounts as of June 30, a milestone reflecting consistent support since its launch in 2004. He urged parents to consider Simpan SSPN as the preferred savings vehicle to secure their children's education. 'Saving for education is a long-term investment that ensures our children's future,' he said, adding deposits in Sabah alone amounted to RM689.84 million from more than 500,000 accounts. Regarding KAWAN 2025, Mustapha described it as a progressive initiative to foster a savings culture among the younger generation while promoting creativity and appreciation of cultural heritage. He also encouraged parents to leverage the programme as financial preparation for their children's pursuit of higher education. Meanwhile, PTPTN chairman Datuk Seri Norliza Abdul Rahim said depositors enjoy various benefits under Simpan SSPN, including income tax relief of up to RM8,000 annually.


The Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
MoHE introduces COPPA to align higher education with job market needs
KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) has introduced the Code of Practice for Programme Accreditation (COPPA) to serve as a benchmark for designing academic programmes that align with current job market requirements. Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud stated that COPPA mandates higher education institutions to conduct market demand and graduate employability analyses before approving new programmes. 'For programmes regulated by professional bodies, their introduction must also comply with criteria set by the Joint Technical Committee to ensure adherence to the Malaysian Qualifications Framework. 'Once launched, these programmes undergo periodic reviews and evaluations to ensure continuous improvement,' he said during the Dewan Rakyat session. The initiative addresses concerns raised by Jimmy Puah Wee Tse (PH–Tebrau) regarding the mismatch between university courses and job market demands, which has forced graduates into unrelated fields with lower wages. Mustapha added that MoHE collaborates with key agencies, including the Human Resources Ministry, PERKESO, Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, and LinkedIn Malaysia, to better address workforce needs. Additional initiatives like CEO@Faculty, CEO@PolyCC, Industry on Campus, and the Structured Internship Programme further bridge the gap between academia and industry expectations. – Bernama