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Decade-long wait ends for buyers of abandoned Simpang Renggam housing project

The Sun

9 hours ago

Business
The Sun

Decade-long wait ends for buyers of abandoned Simpang Renggam housing project

JOHOR BAHRU: After more than a decade of waiting, buyers of the abandoned housing project in Taman Permata Layang, Simpang Renggam, Johor, have finally received their Eligibility Certificate for Home Ownership (SLMR). Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said he had the honour of personally handing over the certificates to the buyers of the project, which comprises 47 units of affordable homes priced from RM42,000 each. 'This project is especially close to my heart as it is located in my own constituency of Simpang Renggam, and I have been championing it since I first became an elected representative. 'Resolving the issue was no easy task — it required on-the-ground efforts, careful planning, and close collaboration between various agencies,' he shared in a Facebook post today. Onn Hafiz expressed hope that this achievement would serve as a stepping stone towards resolving other abandoned housing projects across Johor. He added that the state government remains committed to addressing sick and abandoned projects to prevent similar issues in the future. He also thanked Johor Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor, the Johor Housing Development Corporation (PKPJ), the South East Johor Development Authority (KEJORA), the Kluang District Office, and the Simpang Renggam District Council for their contributions in making the project a success.

Earthquake-hit Myanmar invite foreign investor for rebuilding

The Star

a day ago

Business
The Star

Earthquake-hit Myanmar invite foreign investor for rebuilding

PHNOM PENH (Bernama): Myanmar is inviting foreign investors to participate in the redevelopment efforts two months after the devastating earthquake destroyed major infrastructure and left thousands homeless. Roads, bridges, schools, monasteries, farmland and factories were destroyed when the 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the South-East Asian nation on March 28. State Administration Council Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing announced strategic plans to channel further humanitarian aid to affected victims and quickly reboot the country's faltering economy. "Rebuilding means not only repairing the damaged buildings and making efforts to ensure economic recovery but also building a secure and safe nation in the future. "We want the support of the regional and international partners. And we also want to invite them to invest in the new vision of Myanmar,' said Min Aung Hlaing, reported the state media The Global New Light of Myanmar. He was speaking at the "Rebuilding Myanmar: Post-Earthquake Economic Recovery," in Nay Pyi Taw on Friday. About 3,700 people lost their lives and 5,104 others were injured in the natural disaster. "The disastrous earthquake has had a direct impact upon 600,000 people or so with thousands of people having been forced to move out of their places,' he said. The government has outlined three development strategies - extend humanitarian relief and social protection, infrastructure reconstruction and revive the economy. The focus will be on five key areas for swift economic recovery - energy, agriculture, transportation, telecommunications and public infrastructure. "We gather here today not to demonstrate our melancholy over our substantial losses but to seek ways to survive like the phoenix that could have resurrected as well as how to rebuild. "Today's forum is not only a venue for the talk show but for laying down the foundation for achieving a roadmap,' said Min Aung Hlaing, according to the state media. The World Bank estimated in April that the damages from the earthquake could touch RM42 billion (US$10 billion) and the costs of rebuilding may double that amount. Twenty-one countries delivered over three million metric tonnes of relief supplies and sent about 1,000 relief workers and medical staff supported by 287 doctors following the disaster, reported the state media. - Bernama

[UPDATED] High Court dismisses Najib's ex-lawyers' suit against Malaysian Bar

New Straits Times

3 days ago

Politics
New Straits Times

[UPDATED] High Court dismisses Najib's ex-lawyers' suit against Malaysian Bar

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Bar's statement criticising Datuk Seri Najib Razak's former legal team over their handling of his final SRC International appeal at the Federal Court did not amount to defamation, the High Court heard. Judge Roz Mawar Rozain made the ruling before dismissing a defamation suit filed by senior lawyer Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim and two others against the Bar and its former president, Karen Cheah Yee Lynn. Zaid, along with Liew Teck Huat and Reuben Mathiavaranam, had represented the former prime minister in his final appeal at the Federal Court in August 2022, replacing Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah. The trio filed the suit over Cheah's media statement titled "Abuse of Process Brings Disrepute to Our Justice System", issued on Aug 9 that year, claiming it had tarnished their reputations. In her ruling, Roz Mawar said the plaintiffs failed to establish that the words, in their natural and ordinary meaning, were defamatory in law. She said the reputational impact of the plaintiffs' conduct had already crystallised prior to the publication, due to their public statements and the unfolding events at the Federal Court. "The plaintiffs themselves had, prior to the publication, made multiple public disclosures including press interviews, social media postings, and commentaries admitting their lack of readiness, criticising prior counsel, and seeking adjournments which were ultimately refused by the apex court. "Their reputational position had already been shaped by facts in the public domain. "The impugned statements in the press release did not further lower or injure their standing in the eyes of reasonable members of society," she said. Roz Mawar said the plaintiffs' claim of conspiracy to injure also failed, as there was no evidence of any agreement or concerted effort by the defendants to cause harm. "No evidence was adduced to establish a concerted agreement between the defendants. "If the complaint is based on a publication said to be defamatory, a separate claim of conspiracy cannot stand on its own," she said," she said, adding that the plaintiffs' claim for breach of statutory duty also had no merit. The court said Cheah, who was then the Bar president, had acted within her statutory remit under Section 42(1)(d) of the Legal Profession Act in making public comments on matters of concern to the legal profession. "There is no actionable breach, and no specific compensable loss was proven to have flowed from the alleged breach," she added. Najib, on July 25, 2022, appointed Zaid's law firm to replace Shafee & Co in the final appeal of the SRC International case at the Federal Court, with Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik as lead counsel in place of Shafee. However, the apex court on Aug 23 upheld the conviction and sentence of 12 years' imprisonment and a RM210 million fine imposed on Najib, who was found guilty of embezzling RM42 million in funds belonging to SRC International Sdn Bhd. Najib's sentence was later reduced to six years, and the fine lowered to RM50 million, following his petition for a royal pardon on Sept 2, 2022.

Barn owl nest box project aims to protect padi fields from rat menace

The Star

5 days ago

Science
The Star

Barn owl nest box project aims to protect padi fields from rat menace

Handle with care: Hasber (right) demonstrating to Abdul Aziz how to hold barn owls correctly, with a nest box seen in the background. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star KEPALA BATAS: Every padi planting season, farmer Abdul Aziz Hashim endures sleepless nights worrying about the crops on his 2ha padi field. Besides the unpredictable weather, thousands of rats have been destroying his crop, slashing his income by nearly 50%. "These rats usually come out at night and feast on the matured padi. It gets worse during harvest time. "I have tried using pesticides and rat poison to try to eliminate the pests. "I spend thousands of ringgit each planting season just to protect my crops," the 43-year-old lamented. However, Abdul Aziz, who has been a farmer for about 20 years, now realises that the use of chemicals is harmful to the environment and health. "Pesticides do not only contaminate the padi fields but also pollute the surroundings and kill other animals," he said. Farmers like Abdul Aziz are now relieved that they can now consider a more friendly form of rat control: using Eastern barn owls to hunt the rats. Native to Peninsular Malaysia, the Eastern barn owl's voracious appetite for rats helps protect crops. This pilot project by Universiti Sains Malaysia's (USM) Barn Owl and Rodent Research Group (BORG) will see 20 barn owl nest boxes installed at fields belonging to farmers under the B40 group in Paya Keladi, Kepala Batas. The nest boxes are designed to attract owls to nest in them without additional human intervention, with Abdul Aziz saying the new method will help manage the rodent population effectively. "It will reduce the need for chemical poisons," he explained. "Although the use of barn owls was practised in the past by local farmers, there was little to no monitoring of rodent problems in the fields, which made it harder for farmers to protect their crops." USM's Assoc Prof Dr Hasber Salim said his team initiated the project to help farmers adopt environmentally friendly practices. "Rat damage can reduce yields by up to 60%. With barn owls present, farmers experience less crop loss, which translates to higher income and better quality harvests as one barn owl family can hunt up to 3,000 rats per year,' he said. Under this pilot project carried out in collaboration with Malaysia's national rice agency Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas), each nest box can serve an area of about 5ha to 10ha. Each nest setup costs about RM800, depending on location and logistics, with funding made possible through a RM42,671 (US$10,000) grant from GlobalGiving, a US-based non-governmental organisation. The project will be monitored over a period of three years. Each week, BORG members will collect owl pellets – regurgitated remains of prey – to identify the species of rats consumed and estimate the number of pests removed. 'We will analyse the pellets to get actual data. 'That's how we estimate that a single owl family can eat up to 3,000 rats a year,' he said. Hasber added that the initiative draws on past experience of using barn owls in oil palm plantations under a similar conservation project with the Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation. "Although barn owls have been used in padi fields since the 1970s, the practice has been largely neglected in recent years. 'We're bringing back a proven concept but with improved planning and monitoring,' he said. Hasber added that instead of using the outdated density of one nest per 40ha, his team is now using a high-density model of one nest per five to 10ha.

New & Improved Tune Talk App Lets You Stream & Game All In One Place!

Hype Malaysia

6 days ago

Entertainment
Hype Malaysia

New & Improved Tune Talk App Lets You Stream & Game All In One Place!

They're singing your tune, gaming and streaming fans! Tune Talk has launched Games and Drama in the Tune Talk App, making them the first-ever in-app streaming and gaming features to be introduced by a telco in Malaysia. Seamlessly integrated into the Tune Talk app, this new entertainment hub allows users to watch dramas, play games, and earn rewards in one place, with no additional downloads or third-party logins required. This launch marks more than just a feature update – it represents a bold business transformation that positions Tune Talk as a disruptive force in Malaysia's RM42 billion telecommunications industry. As the only fully cloud-native telco in Southeast Asia, Tune Talk is redefining the way mobile networks operate, delivering services that are not only agile and scalable but also deeply tuned to how people live, work, and play. According to the Digital 2025: Malaysia report by DataReportal, 97.7% of Malaysians are internet users, and there are over 43.3 million cellular mobile connections in the country – equivalent to 121% of the total population as of early 2025. The Malaysian telecom market itself is projected to grow from US$9.07 billion in 2024 to US$11.54 billion by 2030, driven by digital lifestyle demand, mobile-first behaviour, and low-latency entertainment consumption. 'This is just the beginning,' said Gurtaj Singh Padda, Co-founder, Executive Director and CEO of Tune Talk. 'We're not just enhancing connectivity – we're reimagining what users can do with it. With the launch of Games and Drama in the Tune Talk App, we're turning everyday digital engagement into a rich, rewarding experience. It also reflects our evolution into a truly fast, lean, cloud-native telco – an operating model built for the future.' This rollout is made possible through a strategic collaboration with Jolibox, a leading cloud entertainment platform and Tune Talk's main content partner for both Games and Drama in the Tune Talk App. Jolibox's expertise in embedded content streaming and gamification has enabled seamless, scalable delivery of entertainment within the app – strengthening Tune Talk's commitment to frictionless digital experiences. Telco Meets Entertainment Available exclusively via the Tune Talk app, the Drama section features a curated library of streaming content, while the Games selection offers casual, instant-play games that require no downloads. Every interaction earns users Tune Points, which can be redeemed for content unlocks, ad-free streaming, or exclusive perks – placing real value at users' fingertips, powered behind the scenes by Jolibox's embedded entertainment infrastructure. Shawn Lim, Head of Marketing at Tune Talk, added: 'Today's users want more than just data – they want effortless, meaningful engagement. With this all-in-one entertainment hub, we've made telco simpler, smarter, and a lot more fun. And this is just the beginning of what our cloud-native platform can deliver.' By running fully in the cloud, Tune Talk eliminates legacy limitations and gains the ability to deploy new features rapidly, automate user personalisation via AI, and reduce operational costs – benefits that few traditional telcos can replicate. The company's approach aligns closely with the goals of JENDELA and MyDIGITAL, Malaysia's national initiatives aimed at driving infrastructure modernisation, rural inclusion, and economic digitisation. 'This launch is more than entertainment – it's proof that a telco can lead in user experience, not just network coverage,' added Gurtaj. 'And we're proud to be setting a new benchmark not only for Malaysia but for the region.' Jolibox – Powering The Entertainment Core This game-changing in-app experience is made possible through a close partnership with Jolibox, a leading cloud entertainment platform that specialises in seamless content delivery and gamification. As Tune Talk's main partner for both Games and Drama, Jolibox brings its technology and content expertise to power a truly integrated entertainment ecosystem. 'We are thrilled to collaborate with Tune Talk to bring this innovative experience to life,' said Jiayuan Mao, Director, Global Partnership at Jolibox. 'At Jolibox, our mission is to redefine how people access and enjoy digital entertainment. By embedding our platform directly within the Tune Talk App, we're breaking down barriers and making it easier than ever for Malaysians to watch, play, and be rewarded – all in one place.' This initiative reflects Tune Talk's long-term vision to become a lifestyle-first telco, leveraging cloud technology to deliver real value to modern users. Whether streaming or gaming, users can now unlock more by doing what they already love, all at their fingertips. For more information, visit or follow @TuneTalk on Facebook, Instagram, and X.