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The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Southern Cable in line to win MRT3 deals: Apex Securities
KUALA LUMPUR: Southern Cable Group Bhd is well-positioned to secure a substantial share of the MRT3 cable supply package, building on its strong track record in MRT2, comprehensive product range, and established market leadership. In a recent report, Apex Securities Bhd estimated that, assuming a cable supply package valued at RM600 million, with 60% market share and a blended gross profit margin of 15%, Southern Cable could generate RM54 million in gross profit from MRT3—equivalent to 25% of the research firm's FY25 forecast. 'This would provide a meaningful uplift to earnings visibility over the medium term,' Apex said. The MRT3 project has received final approval from the Transport Ministry, enabling the land acquisition process to begin. The project is targeted for completion by end-2026. The MRT3 Circle Line will span 51km, comprising 31 stations. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with full operations expected by 2032. In rail infrastructure projects, cable supply contracts are usually split across several key work packages including power supply systems, signalling and control systems, track works, and station components. As a reference point, MRT2, which spans 52.2km with 36 stations, has a total project cost of RM56.9 billion. Cable supply contracts for MRT2 were estimated at around RM550 million, according to market sources. 'Given the comparable scale of MRT3, we estimate the cable supply package to be valued at RM600 million,' Apex added. In light of MRT3 and other infrastructure rollouts such as the Penang LRT, Apex Securities has revised its earnings forecasts upward by 9.5% for FY26 and 18.5% for FY27. The research firm noted that cable orders for large infrastructure projects are typically distributed across multiple packages and subcontractors. This results in staggered purchase orders, rather than a single lump-sum entry in Southern Cable's order book. 'We raise our price-earnings (PE) multiple from 15x to 17x to reflect Southern Cable's improving earnings visibility and robust growth outlook. 'Valuation remains attractive, with a price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio of 0.4x, based on our projected EPS compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33.9% for FY24–27. 'Our revised target price of RM2.14, up from RM1.72, is based on a 17x FY26 EPS of 12.6 sen, and supported by a three-star ESG rating. 'We maintain a 'Buy' call on Southern Cable. We remain positive on the company, given its position as a proxy for Malaysia's rising power demand, growing need for high-voltage power cables, and export exposure to the US market,' Apex Securities concluded.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
Call for dialysis nurse certification to boost Malaysia's healthcare workforce
KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has been urged to introduce a specialised dialysis nurse certification to strengthen Malaysia's nursing workforce and improve the quality of patient care nationwide. Chairman of the Maaedicare Charitable Foundation, Tunku Datuk Yaacob Khyra, said such certification could address the growing shortage of dialysis nurses and help manage rising healthcare costs due to staff turnover. Speaking at An Enchanted Evening – A Gala for Giving 2025, Maaedicare's annual fundraiser held here last night, Yaacob proposed a streamlined two-month training programme designed to equip nurses with specialised skills in dialysis treatment. "With this certification, I believe dialysis nurses could earn a higher salary than general nurses, in recognition of their specialised role," he said. He said the certification would allow Renal Nurses, who undergo six months of advanced training, to focus on more complex clinical tasks, such as operating theatre procedures, thereby ensuring their expertise is used more effectively. Yaacob also highlighted that many fully trained Renal Nurses, after completing costly, employer-funded training, often leave Malaysia for better opportunities abroad, particularly in the Middle East. "A tiered training structure, distinguishing the roles of Dialysis Nurses and Renal Nurses, would help reduce the financial impact of such staff losses on our healthcare system," he said. The event was graced by the Patron of the Maaedicare Charitable Foundation, Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, and Tunku Ampuan Besar Negri Sembilan Tuanku Aishah Rohani Tengku Besar Mahmud. Also present were Her Highness Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz Almarhum Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'Adzam Shah, Tunku Temenggong Kedah; Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad; and Maaedicare Charitable Foundation Chief Executive Officer Anne Rajasaikaran. The fundraiser successfully raised RM600,000 in combined cash and in-kind donations. The proceeds will go towards enhancing kidney care at 11 dialysis centres, upgrading diagnostic capabilities at the Cardiac Diagnostic Centre, and expanding free health screenings through its two Klinik Amal Percuma clinics nationwide. Since its founding in 1994, the Maaedicare Charitable Foundation has subsidised dialysis treatment for over 32,000 patients and continues to expand access to cardiac services and free medical screenings for vulnerable communities. – Bernama
The Sun
5 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Six elephants captured in Kluang under translocation operation
JOHOR BAHRU: The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) has successfully captured six elephants in Kluang as part of an ongoing translocation operation. The initiative, which began on Monday, targets areas around Kampung Pinggir and Kampung Sri Lukut to address rising human-elephant conflicts. State Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon confirmed the captures, noting that the elephants are sizable, with some standing up to two metres tall. 'The elephants captured are quite large, with some reaching up to two metres tall and they are part of a group from the national park, which has been causing conflict in the Kampung Sri Lukut area of late,' he said in a Facebook post. The operation, led by the Johor and Peninsular Perhilitan Elephant Translocation Unit (UTG), aims to relocate elephant groups encroaching on agricultural and residential zones. Beyond mitigating conflicts, the effort seeks to restore ecological balance by controlling elephant populations outside their natural habitats. Scientific data collected during the operation will also help refine wildlife management policies. The Johor government has allocated RM600,000 to support the translocation, reinforcing its commitment to conservation and sustainable wildlife management. - BERNAMA
The Star
5 days ago
- The Star
Two weeks' jail for man caught smuggling over 1,800 vapes and pods into Singapore
SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man tried to cross Woodlands Checkpoint from Johor Baru in September 2024 with over 1,800 electronic vaporisers and pods hidden in his car boot and bonnet. But the authorities discovered the loot and foiled his plan. Officers from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) then raided his flat and found more vapes and pods from a previous smuggling attempt, which had gone undetected. On July 16, James Wong Jun Jie, 36, was sentenced to two weeks' jail after he admitted to one charge under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act. Three similar charges were taken into consideration for his sentencing. The court heard that Wong met a man named Raj in 2024 at Mid Valley Southkey, a shopping mall in Johor Baru. Raj asked Wong if he was interested in smuggling vapes and pods from Johor to Singapore, adding that he could earn RM600 (S$181) for a one-way trip. Wong gave it a try on Sept 10, 2024, and brought the illicit items into Singapore without being detected. Two days later, on Sept 12, Wong made his second attempt. He drove to Johor Baru at about 8am, parked his car at Mydin Mall and left to have breakfast. He deliberately left his car unlocked so Raj's workers could load the illegal goods in the boot and bonnet. At about 11am, Wong drove back to Singapore and was asked to stop his vehicle at Woodlands Checkpoint. Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers discovered 1,086 pods and 732 vapes hidden in his car, and handed the items to HSA for investigations. That night, HSA officers searched Wong's home at a Housing Board block in Sin Ming Road. They found another 1,320 pods and 679 vapes. These were stocks from his first smuggling trip. Wong said he was waiting for Raj to inform him when to deliver them. They had agreed that Wong would drive to an open carpark in Woodlands, leave his vehicle unlocked and return two hours later after the goods had been unloaded. District Judge Wong Li Tein said in response to Wong's mitigation letter, which was not read out in court, that community-based sentences were not appropriate for him. Such sentences, which include a community work order or short detention order, do not result in a criminal record. Judge Wong said: 'The problem of vaping in Singapore is a serious one. So community-based sentences are not suitable.' Wong's case comes on the back of increased enforcement efforts to tackle a looming vape crisis in Singapore. HSA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a joint statement in May that close to 18,000 people were caught between January 2024 and March 2025 for possessing and using e-vaporisers. During that time, HSA seized $41 million worth of vapes – nearly fivefold the reported value seized from 2019 to end-2023, according to numbers compiled by The Straits Times. HSA said in the May statement that it prosecuted 27 offenders for failing to pay their composition fines. It took another 60 people to court for selling e-vaporisers, including two people linked to an e-vaporiser syndicate case that involved more than $5 million worth of the devices. Ivan Sin was fined $16,000 and given 10 months' jail, while Toh Wee Leong was fined $14,000 and given the same jail term. These were the harshest sentences given for smuggling e-vaporisers so far. ST launched its anti-vaping campaign, Vaping: The Invisible Crisis, on July 13 to raise awareness about the issue in Singapore. On July 12, MOH and the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a joint statement that they were looking at tightening the laws around vaping after the increased detection of electronic vaporisers containing substances such as etomidate and other controlled drugs. Both ministries described vaping as a serious issue, noting that etomidate, which is classified as a poison and regulated under the Poisons Act, may cause adverse effects like seizures and psychosis. Used in hospitals to induce sedation during medical procedures, etomidate is meant to be injected into the veins under clinical supervision and never intended to be inhaled. When vaped, it enters the lungs directly and may trigger spasms, breathing difficulties, seizures and even psychosis. - The Straits Times/ANN
The Star
5 days ago
- The Star
A grave breach of ethics
PETALING JAYA: It was a most disturbing experience for a woman who wanted to get an ambulance for her husband who had just collapsed. Madam Wong, as she wanted to be known, said she dialled 999 and the operator guided her through cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while an ambulance was dispatched to her home in Kajang. As her 58-year-old husband lay on the floor, silent and breathless, her phone rang. Thinking it was the paramedics, she answered the call. 'I'm calling from the hospital,' came the polite voice of a man speaking in a Chinese dialect. ALSO READ: 'I'm an undertaker. Would you be interested in our funeral packages?' Wong was stunned. 'I was trying to save him,' she recalled. 'And someone was already trying to bury him.' She screamed into the phone: 'I don't want a hearse. I want an ambulance!' By the time paramedics arrived, it was too late. 'I'll never forget that call – not just because it came too soon, but because it showed how broken things have become,' she lamented. Wong's story is not an isolated case. In December last year, five hospital employees were accused in a Seremban Sessions Court of accepting payment of RM600 to RM2,250 from two mortuary service providers as a 'reward' for supplying information about the next of kin of the deceased. Businesses offering funeral services have often been linked to public hospitals' forensic department and mortuary support staff. A Health Ministry circular dated April 21 stressed that hospital staff are prohibited from receiving any gift, contribution, payment or inducement that could be considered a bribe in managing deceased patients. 'This includes providing information or personal details of the deceased to external parties or individuals involved in funeral management,' it added. An undertaker, who has been in the industry for three decades, claimed that hospital staff used to make 'good money' from their 'side business'. According to him, the rates offered to the hospital staff would differ between Indian and Chinese undertakers. 'Indian businesses would offer a lesser amount of perhaps RM250 to RM300. The Chinese undertakers would give at least RM600 for each 'notification',' he said. 'Chinese funeral packages are far more expensive. That's why they can afford to pay the hospital staff a higher rate.' The cost of paying the hospital staff for the 'deal' is subsequently transferred to the client when they are billed for the funeral services, he added. However, a funeral services company director, who declined to be named, pointed out that the situation had changed after the Covid-19 pandemic and that the 'lucrative side business' of these hospital staff had come to a halt. 'The way remains are managed has changed drastically,' he said. The undertaker also said most companies have now turned to digital and social media marketing. 'Today, 90% of our business comes from our digital marketing efforts. Only about 10% comes from referrals by hospital support staff,' he said. This was unlike previous times, when about 60% of their business came from hospital employees who gave the undertakers the name of the deceased and contact number of the next of kin, he said. Another source affirmed this, saying that the bargaining power has now shifted to the service providers. The undertakers spoken to concurred that public hospitals should adopt the practice of private hospitals, which place brochures of funeral service providers at selected areas in their premises. Yet, there also remain cases of 'freelancers' who would 'reward' hospital workers to get cases for big funeral services companies. 'These freelancers would hang around the mortuary. They are paid commissions by the big players,' another source claimed. A bereavement consultant claimed that some undertakers would offer commissions to hospital staff or intermediaries in exchange for securing clients. As someone who has been in the industry since 2019, he described it as a competitive business. To protect his clients, he would advise families never to hand over the deceased's identity card to anyone other than his verified service team. 'There have been cases where people pretended to be from a certain company but turned out to be just regular undertakers. That's when complications arise,' he said, adding that families are often caught off guard by how quickly some undertakers show up. 'They somehow even know the correct hospital ward number.'
