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The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Newborn baby abandoned in Lahad Datu, police investigate
LAHAD DATU: A newborn baby boy was found abandoned in front of a house in Kampung Burung, Jalan Bakawali early this morning. The discovery was made by a passerby at 3.06 am, and the infant was immediately sent to the hospital for medical attention. Lahad Datu district police chief ACP Dzulbaharin Ismail confirmed the incident, stating that the baby is in stable condition. 'The investigation is ongoing to track those responsible,' he said in a statement. The case is being probed under Section 317 of the Penal Code for baby dumping. In a separate incident, police arrested a 21-year-old woman at a local hotel yesterday at 10.30 pm for allegedly offering sex services through the messaging app Michat, with payments ranging between RM250 and RM350. Additionally, a 24-year-old man was detained along Lorong Lahad Datu Square 1 at 2.30 pm on suspicion of involvement in online gambling activities. - Bernama
Focus Malaysia
4 days ago
- Business
- Focus Malaysia
SMI courts more CG controversy with re-appt of director who was ‘rejected' a month ago
PROPERTY developer South Malaysia Industries Bhd (SMI) which is facing backlash over shareholder rights and corporate governance (CG) practices is now embroiled in a controversy surrounding its e re-appointment of Latifah Abdul Latiff as the company's independent non-executive director (INED). This follows the company's 53rd annual general meeting (AGM) on June 25 whereby SMI had an unprecedented all four resolutions proposed by its current board of directors 'rejected and voted down', including that of Latifah's re-election, prompting her resignation on the same day. According to a Bursa Malaysia filing dated July 15, the 64-year-old former Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Bhd senior vice president/business banking head was appointed to her old INED role which she failed to seek re-election effective that day. However, it was understood that proxies representing three major shareholders – Target 1 Sdn Bhd, Honsin Apparel Sdn Bhd and HIQ Media (M) Sdn Bhd – who collectively hold 50.05% of SMI's shares were unhappy with Latifah's re-appointment. After all, the trio had been instrumental in ensuring a decisive rejection of Latifah who had offered herself for re-election during last month's SMI AGM. For the record, the other three rejected resolutions included: The re-appointment of Messrs UHY Malaysia PLT as auditors of SMI until the conclusion of its next AGM; Approving directors' fees and benefits of up to RM350,000 to non-executive directors of the company and subsidiaries; and Authority to allot and issue shares in general pursuant to Sections 75 and 76 of the Companies Act 2016. Similar trend last year 'This incident mirrors a similar situation earlier on March 27, 2024 during which shareholders had rejected the re-election of executive director Leow Thang Fong who also resigned on the same day as the AGM following this rejection,' a market observer told FocusM on condition of anonymity. 'Yet, in a highly questionable move, the board re-appointed Leow as CEO barely a month later on May 1, 2024.' The market observer contended that Latifah's and Leow's re-appointments have raised serious questions about SMI's adherence to the fundamental CG principles and the board's respect for shareholder decisions. 'Such practices could significantly undermine shareholder confidence and damage the integrity of Malaysia's capital market,' he justified. 'Given the importance of maintaining strong CG standards and protecting shareholder interests, we believe that a scrutiny by the relevant market regulators – namely, Bursa Malaysia and the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) – into these developments is warranted.' At the close of today's (July 17) market trading, SMI was unchanged at 31 sen with no transaction done while its market capitalisation stood at RM65 mil. – July 17, 2025
The Star
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
AmBank to lower standardised base, lending rates effective July 14
KUALA LUMPUR: AMMB Holdings Bhd (AmBank) will lower its Standardised Base Rate (SBR), Base Lending Rate/Base Financing Rate (BLR/BFR) and Base Rate (BR) effective July 14, 2025. In a notice on its website, AmBank said the SBR will be reduced from 3.0 per cent per annum to 2.75 per cent, while the BLR/BFR will be revised from 6.70 per cent to 6.45 per cent. It said the BR will be revised from 3.85 per cent to 3.60 per cent. "For illustration purposes and subject to change from time to time, the effective interest or profit rate for a 30-year loan or financing of RM350,000 with no lock-in period is 4.0 per cent per annum (SBR+1.25 per cent),' AmBank said. - Bernama
Rakyat Post
11-07-2025
- Business
- Rakyat Post
Malaysian Parents Face RM350,000 Medical Degree Bills As Middle-Class Lose Subsidies
Subscribe to our FREE A mother's blunt assessment of Malaysia's education system has resonated with thousands of parents: straight A's no longer guarantee an affordable university education. Ija Syariza's 9 July Facebook post laid bare the financial reality facing middle-income families. 'Back then, straight A's guaranteed you a place in university with subsidised fees,' she wrote in Malay. Now, straight A's need to come with active co-curricular participation, school leadership positions, fluency in Malay and English. Most importantly, you need to be B40 status. The numbers behind her frustration are stark. The Price Tag At Universiti Malaya, a medical degree costs subsidised students RM10,100 per semester, totalling RM299,200 over five years. Full-paying students face RM112,300 per semester. Private alternatives, such as Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), charge RM35,000 per semester, totalling RM350,208 for a medical degree. Even foundation programmes show dramatic price gaps: RM2,850 for subsidised students versus over RM14,000 for full-paying students. The Middle-Class Squeeze The crux of the problem lies in Malaysia's income classification system. Families earning RM12,001 monthly are categorised as T20 – the top 20 per cent income bracket, making them ineligible for subsidies. 'A salary of RM12,001 already puts you in the T20 category,' Ija pointed out. 'Meanwhile, degree fees range from a minimum of RM90,000 to RM350,000 if your child dreams of becoming a doctor.' Her calculation: families need to save RM1,700 monthly for 18 years to afford a medical degree costing RM350,000. For a household earning RM12,001 monthly – the minimum to be classified as T20 – this represents 14 per cent of their gross income dedicated to one child's education alone. The reality is even starker when considering disposable income. Caught in the Middle: When Merit Meets Financial Reality After income tax, EPF contributions, and basic living expenses, a family earning RM12,001 monthly may have significantly less available for long-term education savings, making the actual percentage burden much higher. This creates a paradox: families earning just above subsidy thresholds face the steepest relative financial burden. They earn 'too much' for government assistance but 'too little' for comfortable private education fees. One parent This parent's experience highlights a crucial distinction: students entering through PASUM (Pusat Asasi Sains Universiti Malaya) face different fee structures than those admitted through the The implication is clear – the direct entry route comes with a premium that middle-income families must bear, while the standard UPU route offers more subsidized options primarily accessible to lower-income brackets. No Easy Solutions Despite her frustrations, Ija remains pragmatic. I hope there will be opportunities for children to continue studying in fields they're passionate about. If they can't get a place, we'll have to find other ways. Her post, tagged #diarimak2 (diary of a mother), concludes: 'The reality we have to face… There's no point complaining!' Yet her message has clearly struck a chord, highlighting a growing concern among Malaysian families: that academic merit alone may no longer be sufficient to access quality, affordable higher education. As Malaysia's higher education sector continues to evolve, the challenge remains ensuring that deserving students aren't priced out of their dreams, regardless of their family's income bracket. READ MORE : Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
Daily Express
11-07-2025
- Daily Express
Vietnamese woman jailed for prostitution
Published on: Friday, July 11, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jul 11, 2025 By: Jo Ann Mool Text Size: This was charged under Section 372B of the Penal Code, which carries a punishment of up to one year's imprisonment, a fine, or both, on conviction. Kota Kinabalu: A 33-year-old Vietnamese woman was jailed three months by the Magistrate's Court here Thursday for soliciting for the purpose of prostitution. Thi Hong Dang, 33, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Wan Farrah Fariza Wan Ghazali after the charge was read to her by a Vietnamese interpreter. Thi was found committing the offence at 10pm on June 19, this year, at a reflexology centre in the city. This was charged under Section 372B of the Penal Code, which carries a punishment of up to one year's imprisonment, a fine, or both, on conviction. Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Akaash Singh informed the court that on the night of the incident, a police team raided the premises and found a woman, later identified as Thi, naked with a male customer inside a room. The customer told police that he had paid RM350 at the front counter in exchange for sexual services from Thi, the court heard. Thi, who was not represented, requested a lower fine, telling the court that she is married with three children. She also applied to contact her family, as she had not been in touch with them since her arrest and wished to inform them so she could ask for money to pay the fine. Akaash informed the court that Thi had no previous convictions but urged for a deterrent sentence. He also applied for her to be referred to the Immigration Department, noting that while her passport is still valid, her visa had already expired. The court ordered Thi to serve the sentence from the date of her arrest and be referred to the Immigration Department thereafter. Meanwhile, a 35-year-old man was tentatively charged with trafficking 55gm of 3,4 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). No plea was recorded from Hiew Vui Shung after the charge was read out to him. Hiew, a trader, was accused of committing the offence at 10.45pm on June 27, this year, in front of the Ski Hotel's lobby here. The charge is framed under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries a punishment of either the death penalty or life in prison and whipping with a minimum of 15 strokes. The court fixed Aug 19 for mention pending the chemist's report. Hiew, who appeared before Magistrate Marilyn Kelvin, was ordered remanded further pending the date as the charge against him has no provision for bail. In another case, a woman was fined RM1,600, or jailed one month for operating an illegal public lottery gambling activity known as Wah Hui. Silma Abdul admitted to committing the offence on May 15, this year, at 12 noon, in a premises at Sinsuran here. The facts of the case presented by the prosecution stated that the police, who raided the area, found Silma committing the offence and seized gambling paraphernalia, including RM210 in cash from her. Silma was charged under Section 9(1) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, which provides for a fine of up to RM5,000, or up to six months' jail', or both, on conviction. The court ordered the seized money to be forfeited as government revenue. Inspector Yusdi Basri prosecuted. * 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
