Latest news with #PTG
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- New Straits Times
Four Myanmar men arrested in illegal gold mining bust, RM1mil equipment seized
KUALA LUMPUR: Police have crippled illegal gold mining activities in Jeli, Kelantan, following the arrest of four Myanmar nationals and the seizure of equipment worth over RM1 million. Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Seri Azmi Abu Kassim said the 2am raid yesterday was carried out after weeks of intelligence gathering. The operation, conducted with the Kota Baru Land and Mines Office (PTG), targeted an oil palm plantation in Ladang Tapis, Bukit Jering, Jeli, under the Operasi Bersepadu Khazanah initiative. "The raid led to the arrest of four Myanmar men suspected of being involved in illegal gold mining activities. "All the suspects failed to produce valid travel documents and legal mining licences," he said in a statement today. Azmi said police seized two excavators, two water pump suction machines with hoses, two mining sluice boxes, machinery keys, and related equipment, with the total seizure valued at RM1,010,014. "The case is being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the National Land Code 1965. "This operation is an example of a reformed enforcement approach that is more integrated and high impact, involving various agencies to combat illegal mining activities that threaten the nation's natural resources," he said.
Top Gear
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Did you know the E46 BMW M3 GTR's V8 was designed by an ex-Porsche engineer?
Motorsport BMW USA reveals this wild tale of how it took on HQ, and long-time rivals Porsche, with the V8 E46 Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading 'Paul Rosche thought we had a hick NASCAR team running our M3 programme.' The words not of an observer or outsider, but BMW North America's former head of product planning and strategy, Rich Brekus. To mark 50 years of the 3 Series, BMW USA has revealed Brekus's fascinating motorsport experience from over 25 years ago, and it's wild. Advertisement - Page continues below It concerns the development, deployment, and short-lived success of an ice-cold racer, the V8-powered E46 BMW M3 GTR, and the team that ran BMW North America's (NA) M3 GT racing cars, Prototype Technology Group (PTG). And Porsche. And Schnitzer. But we'll come to those later. PTG already had a history of successfully campaigning BMW's straight-six-engined star in the latter half of the Nineties, when it ran BMW NA's E36 M3s and took three GT class titles between 1996-1998. Indeed, those E36s won half of all the races they entered. You might like Brekus however, thought BMW HQ in Munich had little time for PTG. 'It was a constant refrain that BMW Motorsport [in Munich] should run it,' he added. With some support in HQ behind him, Brekus maintained his faith in PTG who continued to run BMW NA's M3s. Though in 1999, Porsche rolled out the 996-gen 911 and its water-cooled GT3R stablemate. Despite those now-ageing E36s taking a couple of early season wins, the 996 cleaned up and Porsche won the title. Advertisement - Page continues below So a better racing car was needed. And Brekus was well aware the then-new E46 M3 shared the E36's limitations: a blocky front end and a 3.2-litre straight-six. Porsche's six-pot was a 3.6-litre. 'Restrictor racing is a displacement game,' Brekus said, 'because the higher the displacement, the earlier you develop torque, and the faster you can come off a corner.' So in 2000, when IMSA became ALMS, the E46 M3 GT got absolutely hammered by Porsche. Over in Munich, BMW Motorsport was also busy shutting down its prototype V12 LMR programme after being hammered by the Audi R8. And once again, Brekus and PTG would face internal opposition to their M3 racing programme. Along with Gerhard Berger, Mario Theissen (pictured above) was then co-director of BMW Motorsport. 'Thiessen was very much of the opinion that sales subsidiaries like BMW NA should only market motorsport, not run it,' Brekus said. 'I basically said we're not going to do it that way. We have a great race team, and I don't like the way you guys run racing. 'You basically freeze everybody out, and you're not very good with fans,' he added. With a little support still left inside HQ, Brekus was able to secure PTG's M3. But it needed something with a little more bite. Looking for more from the USA? Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Enter Reinhard Könneker, an ex-Porsche engineer who'd worked on the all-conquering 917 and other projects under the late, great Hans Mezger while at Weissach. At BMW, he worked on the F1 engine, and designed the 'P60' V8 that'd find its way into the nose of the E46 M3 GTR. It was designed to allow for more torque, and its compact size versus the S54 3.2 it replaced allowed for better cooling. So designed, it punched out 493bhp at 8,000rpm, and 354lb ft at 6,500rpm. Game on. Not only against Porsche and that 996 GT3R, but also… BMW Motorsport's own Team Schnitzer M3 GTRs. 'Thiessen had agreed to do the V8 M3,' Brekus said, 'but he didn't think PTG was capable of developing the car and that Schnitzer need to run it.' So Brekus petitioned BMW HQ to supply PTG with exactly the same V8 M3s campaigned by Schnitzer. 'They agreed, and so did Albert Biermann, who was responsible for all non-F1 racing,' Brekus said. The 996 GT3Rs of Alex Job Racing won the first three rounds of that 2001 season while the V8 M3s were getting up to speed, but then Schnitzer won the next two rounds equipped with the new engines. PTG took the win in Portland, though Schnitzer won the next three rounds. Did Brekus think Schnitzer were tampering with their V8 M3's ECUs? 'I don't think so,' he said. 'A lot of the difference in performance between the two cars was the tyres. Yokohama was a fantastic supporter of ours, but for sure the Michelins were better.' The last race of the season at Road Atlanta very nearly didn't happen, following the September 11 terrorist attacks. It went ahead in the end, but every car featured an American flag sticker to show solidarity with the USA. Being an American team, PTG decked out their whole car to look like a 493bhp rolling US flag. PTG would eventually win the race, but Schnitzer took that year's title, and despite the in-season rivalry, both BMW teams would congratulate one another. But that was the end of the line for the M3 GTR. The ACO said the P60 V8 would be illegal unless BMW made 1,000 road-going examples. Despite a €250,000 M3 V8 road car announced during the season, and ten prototypes built in anticipation of a limited production run, BMW couldn't feasibly build the full 1,000 required. Still - and in perhaps an unsurprising revelation - PTG driver Bill Auberlen reckoned it was a gem. 'The M3 GTR was the best-handling GT car ever,' he said. 'The engine was so light, and so small, and the way it put power down was exactly matched to the tyre. 'You were right on the edge of adhesion all the way up the powerband, and it drove away like a rocket.'
The Star
28-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Flat dwellers risk losing properties due to arrears
GEORGE TOWN: More than 70,000 property owners here have defaulted on their parcel rent payments, with arrears totalling some RM12.5mil since 2019. The Penang Land and Mines Office (PTG) recently revealed that these homeowners risk losing their strata parcels due to unpaid arrears as of June 1. PTG director Dr Faizal Kamarudin said the highest number of defaulters is in the northeast district with 32,000 affected accounts. Under the Strata Titles Act 1985, properties may be forfeited if arrears are not settled within three months of receiving a legal notice. The parcel rent, billed annually, was introduced in 2019 to replace the uniform quit rent system for stratified titles such as condominiums, apartments and flats. It is separate from assessment tax and maintenance fees paid to the Joint Management Body or Management Corporation. Property agent Joyce Lee said many property owners, particularly first-time homebuyers, are unaware of parcel rent. She explained that unlike utility bills and maintenance fees, parcel rent does not carry immediate consequences such as service disconnection, making it easier for homeowners to overlook. 'The amounts are relatively small, and because they aren't bundled with the monthly management fees, they often go unnoticed. 'The fragmented nature of the payment system, where each tax or utility requires logging in through different portals with no auto-debit function or centralised reminders, makes it even more inconvenient,' she added. Besides a lack of awareness, Lee believes other contributing factors include rising living costs and inflation, which have led some owners to prioritise more urgent payments. 'There's a common belief that they can simply pay it later, especially when selling the property. 'Some sub-sale owners may not even realise that parcel rent is still under the previous owner's name, adding to the confusion and non-compliance,' she said. Lee added that more public education is needed, especially targeting new homeowners, along with possible incentives, early payment discounts or stricter penalties to encourage better compliance. Property valuer Mohd Fitri Hashim, 42, said parcel rent arrears could accumulate significantly if left unpaid. 'Parcel rent is calculated based on the size of the individual strata unit. 'For example, the parcel rent for a typical low-cost flat would be below RM30, while a standard condominium unit of about 1,000sq ft would need to pay around RM50,' he said. Mohd Fitri added that for luxury condominium owners who pay about RM400 annually in assessment tax, their parcel rent would be less than RM100. 'For example, at Rifle Range Flats in Air Itam with over 3,000 units in the nine blocks, each unit of about 400sq ft size has to pay about RM25 in parcel rent yearly,' he said. At the nearby All Seasons Place, the 850sq ft condominium's yearly parcel rent comes to about RM24. In comparison, the quit rent for a 1,523sq ft landed property in Teluk Kumbar on the southern tip of the island is RM42 annually.
Business Wire
25-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Link Logistics Community Grants Program Invests $2 Million in 2025 To Support Local Nonprofits
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Link Logistics ('Link' or the 'Company'), a leading operator of last-mile logistics real estate, today announced the latest round of investments through its 2025 Community Grants Program. Launched in 2022, the Link Logistics Community Grants Program provides infrastructure grants to nonprofits addressing hunger, education and hyperlocal needs across the U.S. With this year's round of investments, the Link Logistics Community Grants Program has distributed a total of $8 million. This year, Link Logistics employees nominated more than 70 projects, reflecting growing need from community organizations nationwide. Based on these submissions, 21 unique projects were selected, and Link Logistics distributed the full $2 million in available funding within two months of it being granted. 'This national program drives local impact by leveraging our colleagues' insights and relationships,' said Luke J. Petherbridge, chief executive officer, Link Logistics. 'We fund nonprofits' greatest needs and build lasting partnerships through our firm's most valuable asset—our people.' The grants support essential infrastructure projects that are often difficult to fund through traditional fundraising efforts. Examples of such projects include upgrading HVAC systems to reduce operational costs, enhancing IT systems to improve efficiency, and purchasing vehicles to grow service reach and food-distribution capabilities. Nonprofits supported in 2025 include: Boulder Crest Foundation, a national nonprofit that helps veterans and first responders transform their struggle into strength through its Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) programs — Warrior PATHH and Struggle Well. As the organization expands services in Texas, Link Logistics' grant will help make newly acquired real estate fully operational for equine-assisted learning, a critical component of its Warrior PATHH program. Pursuit, a New York-based nonprofit that expands access to technical careers. Link Logistics' grant helped the organization acquire laptops and a secure management system for its summer AI-native program. Link Logistics also hosted a volunteer event through which 10 of the firm's software engineers and technology professionals mentored Pursuit fellows. Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County provides access to healthy food and grows more than 1.6 million pounds of fruits and vegetables annually at its Harvest Solutions Farm. Link Logistics' grant helped the organization acquire a Rough Terrain forklift to support operations at the farm. Firm employees also volunteer with Second Harvest regularly and will return for CoreGiving Day this October. About Link Logistics Link Logistics is a leading operator of last-mile logistics real estate. As of March 31, 2025, Link Logistics serves approximately 9,000 customers and owns, has interests in, manages or has under development logistics facilities that will represent a total of 500 million square feet across key U.S. distribution markets. Established by Blackstone in 2019, Link Logistics has the scale, footprint and proprietary insights, as well as a focus on sustainability, to drive value for our customers and stakeholders. For more information regarding the Company, please visit
Malay Mail
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Court orders KL land held by Dr Mahathir, Daim and others transferred to Umno
KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — The High Court here has reportedly ordered the transfer of a 9,723 square metre parcel of land in Kuala Lumpur, where the Seri Pacific Hotel is located, to Umno within 30 days. According to a report in the New Straits Times today, Justice Roz Mawar Rozain reportedly made the order after Umno's counsel, Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, informed the court that the party and the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office (PTG) had reached a settlement. In her consent judgment, the judge reportedly confirmed that the land — previously registered under former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the late Tun Daim Zainuddin, Tun Musa Hitam and the late Tan Sri Sanusi Junid — was held in trust for Umno. The property is identified as Grant 78154, Lot 40, Section 51, Kuala Lumpur. 'The land registered under the names of the trustees shall be vested and registered under Umno with full rights, interest and ownership in accordance with Section 9(b) of the Societies Act 1966,' she was quoted as saying. She also reportedly directed the PTG to execute and register the transfer within 30 days under Section 420 of the National Land Code. Datuk Mohd Hafarizam reportedly said the ruling resolved all issues, including objections from some trustees, and confirmed that PTG had consented to the application. According to the report, Umno executive secretary Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan filed the originating summons on March 6 through the legal firm Messrs Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak. In his affidavit, Sumali reportedly stated that Form Schedule 17, an application for consent to transfer, was signed by all four trustees on October 27, 2015, along with a statutory declaration dated October 22, 2015. According to the report, Umno owns 85.88 per cent of Seri Pacific Corp Sdn Bhd, which operates the hotel through RHB Nominees Sdn Bhd.
