Latest news with #RM82.1
New Straits Times
09-05-2025
- New Straits Times
From Central America to Malaysia: Bukit Aman, DEA probe synthetic drug trail
Police tell AUSTIN CAMOENS they are working with US authorities to determine why and how synthetic drugs are brought into Malaysia from Central America POLICE are working with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to determine how a Malaysian drug syndicate, led by a group of relatives, procured synthetic drugs from Central America. The federal Narcotic Crime Investigation Department (NCID) is investigating the movements and travel history of three suspects arrested last month. "We will go through immigration records to see if they had travelled to Central America," said acting Federal NCID director Deputy Commissioner Mat Zani @ Mohd Salahuddin Che Ali. "We want to know why and how the syndicate secured supplies from there. This is highly unusual, as syndicates here commonly obtain their supply from the Golden Triangle, as it is cheaper," he said. On April 29, police dismantled the family-run syndicate after arresting three men in a series of raids. They seized 2.16 tonnes of methamphetamine, ketamine and ecstasy — believed to have originated from a Central American country. Malaysian social media users have dubbed the case "Narcos Malaysia", after the hit Netflix series Narcos. Mat Zani said the syndicate might have been trying to avoid increased scrutiny associated with drug consignments from the Golden Triangle — a region that includes parts of Myanmar, China, Laos and Thailand. The area has long been a source of illicit drugs due to its remote and mountainous terrain, the presence of warlords and conditions ideal for opium cultivation. In recent years, it has also become a hub for methamphetamine production. "The Central American syndicate could be testing the market through this consignment," Mat Zani said. While investigations into the Central American connection are ongoing, police are also tracking down two more suspects believed to be remnant members of the syndicate. "We believe they are still in Malaysia and are taking the necessary steps to apprehend them," he said. Mat Zani revealed the three arrested suspects are related through marriage. "Checks showed that two of the suspects are married to the elder sisters of the third suspect," he said. One suspect has a criminal intimidation record, another has a previous drug offence, while the third has no criminal record. Export plans Documents seized during the raids indicate the synthetic drugs — worth RM82.1 million — were smuggled into the country in a shipping container declared as carrying "plastic flakes". The syndicate was planning to distribute the drugs locally, as well as in Japan and South Korea, where 1kg of methamphetamine is worth about RM400,000. Mat Zani said the drugs were to be exported via courier services. "They would be hidden in parcels and shipped to both countries. We are also investigating if the syndicate had previously sent drugs there," he said. Trafficking drugs via courier has become a common method for syndicates. Both the police and Customs Department have uncovered such tactics in previous busts. At the 64th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in 2021, Interpol reported that trafficking of illicit drugs via postal mail and express couriers had "exploded" post-Covid-19 pandemic. Mat Zani urged anyone with information on the case or drug-related activity to contact the NCID hotline at 012-208 7222.
Daily Express
29-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
RM83 billion Sabah GDP growth: Chief Minister
Published on: Wednesday, April 30, 2025 Published on: Wed, Apr 30, 2025 Text Size: Hajiji speaking to a member of the council after the State Development Action Council meeting. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah's economy registered encouraging growth with its Gross Domestic Product (total value of goods and services) increasing to RM83.2 billion last year from RM82.1 billion in 2023, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. 'This shows a momentum of continuous improvement and positive development in Sabah,' he said, adding it is in line with the national GDP which is expected to increase by 2.5 per cent through the Madani Economy Framework that saw the restructuring of Malaysia's economy under the National 2025 Budget. Chairing the State Development Action Council (MTNg) meeting at Menara Kinabalu, Tuesday, he attributed the achievement to co-operation from various quarters in the State. 'If we continue to contribute our energy positively through close cooperation, it is not impossible to successfully implement our Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya aspirations,' he said. He urged relevant agencies to ensure all initiatives and programmes under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) and Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya development blueprint are implemented to spur economic growth and to lift the people's livelihood. Under the 13MP, the State Government has formulated a State Strategic Development Hala Tuju as a proactive step to spur Sabah's economy and development from 2026 to 2030. 'It is also an early framework that takes into consideration the policy, blueprint and current development plan. Various initiatives will be initiated encompassing the Blue Economy initiative and each state development agenda under the 13MP,' he said. Despite the various successes, Hajiji said the State Government must not become complacent. 'We must continue to work hard and be more proactive. All State leadership, heads of department and heads at district-level must go down to the ground more frequently to monitor ongoing programme or project implementation. 'This is important to ensure all programmes are done well and thoroughly,' he said, adding that this year 1,265 projects and programmes must be completed in Sabah. All the implementing agencies must constantly monitor these projects' progress and ensure they are completed according to schedule, he said. Sabah is among the highest recipients of the national budget, with RM6.7 billion allocated by the Federal Government this year. 'This proves that the voices of the people and leaders of Sabah are heard. It also demonstrates we are very serious and will strive to boost the State's development,' he said. 'We must do a paradigm shift to ensure the success of all our plans. We should do away with outdated processes and we must change attitudes that focus on the negatives without evaluating or crediting the successes or contributions made to the State,' he said. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * 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
Malay Mail
29-04-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Sabah's GDP growth reaches RM83.2b last year, boosted by national and state initiatives, says CM
KOTA KINABALU, April 29 — Sabah's economy has shown positive growth as its gross domestic product (GDP) rose to RM83.2 billion last year from RM82.1 billion in 2023, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. In a statement after chairing the State Development Action Council meeting at Menara Kinabalu here today, Hajiji attributed the achievement to strong cooperation from various stakeholders in the state. 'The growth aligns with the national GDP, which is projected to increase by 2.5 per cent through the Madani Economy Framework,' he said. The chief minister emphasised the importance of continuing positive contributions and close cooperation to realise the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya aspirations. He also revealed that the state government has developed the Sabah State Strategic Development Plan 2026-2030 to boost Sabah's economy. 'This framework will incorporate various initiatives, including the Blue Economy initiative and state development agendas under the 13th Malaysia Plan,' he said. On the same note, Hajiji called for increased ground monitoring of the 1,265 projects and programmes scheduled for completion this year, urging state leadership and department heads to maintain closer supervision. This requires a paradigm shift in implementation, he said, emphasising the need to move away from outdated processes and negative mindsets that fail to acknowledge the state's achievements. He noted that Sabah received one of the highest allocations under the national budget, with RM6.7 billion allocated by the federal government this year. He added that the substantial allocation demonstrates the federal government's commitment to Sabah's development. — Bernama
Borneo Post
29-04-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
CM: Sabah's economy remains on a positive trend
Hajiji speaking to a member of the council after the State Development Action Council meeting. KOTA KINABALU (April 29): Sabah's economy has registered encouraging growth with its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increasing from RM82.1 billion in 2023 to RM83.2 billion in 2024, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor. 'This shows a momentum of continuous improvement and positive development in Sabah,' he said, adding this was in line with the national GDP, which is expected to increase by 2.5 per cent through the Madani Economy Framework that saw the restructuring of Malaysia's economy under the National 2025 Budget. Chairing the State Development Action Council (MTNg) meeting at Menara Kinabalu here on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said the achievement was due to cooperation from various quarters in the state. 'If we continue to contribute our energy positively through close cooperation, it is not impossible to successfully implement our Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya aspirations,' he said. He urged relevant agencies to ensure all initiatives and programmes under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) and Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya development blueprint are implemented to spur economic growth and to uplift the people's livelihood. Under the 13MP, the Chief Minister said the State Government has formulated a State Strategic Development Hala Tuju as a proactive step to spur Sabah's economy and development from 2026 to 2030. 'It is also an early framework that takes into consideration the policy, blueprint and current development plan. Various initiatives will be initiated encompassing the Blue Economy initiative and each state development agenda under the 13MP,' he said. Despite the various successes through the Hala Tuju SMJ initiatives and positive figures from all the released data to date, Hajiji said the State Government must not rest on its laurel and become complacent. 'We must continue to work hard and be more proactive. All state leadership, heads of department and heads at district level must go down to the ground more frequently to monitor ongoing programme or project implementation. 'This is important to ensure all programmes are done well and thoroughly,' he said, adding that this year 1,265 projects and programmes must be completed in Sabah. 'All the implementing agencies must constantly monitor these projects' progress and ensure they are completed according to schedule,' he said. According to him, Sabah is among the highest recipients of the national budget, with RM6.7 billion allocated by the Federal Government this year. 'This proves that the voices of the people and leaders of Sabah are heard at the federal level. It also demonstrates that we are very serious and will strive to boost the state's development,' he said. 'We must do a paradigm shift to ensure the success of all our plans. We should do away with outdated processes and we must change attitude that focus on the negatives without evaluating or crediting the successes or contributions made to the state,' he said.
Daily Express
29-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Sabah's GDP continues to rise to RM83.2 bil, driven by ongoing development initiatives
Published on: Tuesday, April 29, 2025 Published on: Tue, Apr 29, 2025 Text Size: Sabah's economy grew from RM82.1 billion in 2023 to RM83.2 billion in 2024, reflecting steady progress aligned with national goals under the Madani Economy Framework, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. Chairing the State Development Action Council meeting today, Hajiji credited the growth to strong cooperation across state agencies and urged continued effort to implement initiatives under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) and the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) blueprint. Looking ahead to the 13MP (2026–2030), the state has prepared a strategic development framework, including Blue Economy initiatives, to further boost progress. Despite recent achievements, Hajiji emphasized the need for proactive leadership, better ground-level monitoring, and completion of 1,265 projects in 2024. He noted that Sabah received RM6.7 billion in federal funding this year, among the highest allocations nationwide, reflecting strong federal-state collaboration. He also called for a shift away from outdated practices and negative mindsets, stressing accountability and progress. * Read full report in tomorrow's print paper or log in or sign up for e-paper and premium online news access. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
