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New Straits Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
UUM lecturer to appeal RM400,000 defamation ruling
rahmat@ KUALA LUMPUR: Dr Kamarul Zaman Yusoff will appeal the High Court's ruling ordering him to pay RM400,000 in damages to Hannah Yeoh for defamation. In a statement, Kamarul, a Universiti Utara Malaysia lecturer, said he respected the court's ruling but disagreed with its findings and the reasoning behind the decision. "Therefore, I will be filing an appeal in the near future to challenge the decision based on both facts and legal grounds," he said. "This process is far from over, and I urge everyone to allow the courts to reassess the matter thoroughly at the appellate stage," he added. Earlier, Judge Datuk Aliza Sulaiman said Kamarul, who served as a special officer to the prime minister from 2021 to 2022, had defamed Yeoh, the Segambut member of parliament, in two Facebook posts in 2017. The court said Yeoh, who is the Youth and Sports Minister, had proven, on a balance of probabilities, that both publications were defamatory in portraying her as a threat to Islam and as having abused her position to promote Christianity in Malaysia. The court said that if Kamarul truly believed Yeoh had committed an offence, filing a police report would have sufficed. Instead, he published the report on Facebook. The court also granted an injunction to restrain the defendant, his servants, or agents from republishing the impugned words or similar statements. In 2022, Yeoh filed a defamation suit against Kamarul over two Facebook posts uploaded by him in May 2017. The suit was filed for the two posts, including one in which Kamarul cited Yeoh's biography, Becoming Hannah: A Personal Journey, as evidence of her advancing a "Christian agenda."
New Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Zahid urges stronger push for Bumiputera Economic Transformation Plan success
PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called on all ministries, agencies and government-linked bodies to step up efforts to ensure the success of the Bumiputera Economic Transformation Plan 2035 (PuTERA35). He said PuTERA35, a long-term plan to drive the economic development of Bumiputeras, must not remain a mere "decorative document stored in the cabinet". "PuTERA35 represents a national commitment to strengthening Bumiputera participation, ownership and control in the economy," Zahid said in a speech. "However, if this commitment is not translated into action, we are merely wasting time. "This is why I want everyone, whether from ministries, agencies, government-linked companies (GLCs), government-linked investment companies (GLICs), coordinators or implementers, to move together, to review, assess transparently, and act decisively to ensure that this agenda achieves the goals we have collectively envisioned." He said this in his keynote address at the one-year retreat session of the 2024 Bumiputera Economic Congress. Zahid said the implementation of programmes and projects under PuTERA35 has achieved a 15.7 per cent success rate. "We already have the plan and the structure. What we now need is disciplined implementation and the courage to make bold decisions." Zahid also spoke on the importance of a clear timeline to deliver tangible results. "We have 132 initiatives under PuTERA35. I want these to be given the utmost priority. I want tangible results. "We can no longer afford to be trapped in endless rhetoric," he said, adding that a strategic, clear and consistent communications plan on PuTERA35 was also needed. He added that PuTERA35 must also serve as a central framework for all ministries, not just the Economy Ministry and the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, as it is a government policy. "Every ministry, without exception, must play an active role as envisioned. The people have the right to know how many Bumiputera entrepreneurs have been developed this year. "How many have progressed from micro to medium enterprises? How many TVET graduates are now earning monthly salaries of over RM4,000?" Zahid also called for a change in the treatment of reports, saying the government could no longer rely on passive and annual reports. "It is time for us to move forward with courage, guided by strategic, data-driven interventions and focused on real outcomes. "Now is the time to prove that what has been planned is truly being implemented," said Zahid, who is also the Rural and Regional Development minister. Meanwhile, Zahid said he has tasked the deputy secretary-generals for policy in each ministry to coordinate and monitor the implementation of PuTERA35. "This role will be further supported by the Bumiputera Empowerment Unit, which must be restructured to suit current needs," he said. He also said the Bumiputera Economic Congress retreat session will become an annual fixture to collectively reinvigorate the Bumiputera development agenda across all ministries, agencies and sectors. Present were Deputy Economy Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib, Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, and Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (Teraju) chief executive officer Junady Nawawi.
New Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
DBKL rolls out legalisation plan for hawkers
#taskid sendstory kalbana@ KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will roll out the 2025 Hawker Legalisation Programme next month in a bid to better regulate the street vending sector and allow local traders to operate legally. The initiative, which follows directives from the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories), Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, aims to strengthen urban governance while fostering inclusive economic growth within the capital. DBKL in a statement this evening, said the programme would cover two key categories of hawkers and traders, which are Mobile Hawkers Without Vehicles and Temporary Hawkers. "Mobile hawkers without vehicles are defined as individuals who conduct moving sales without the use of a vehicle, such as those on foot, selling things. These businesses will be eligible to apply for licences under existing or standalone programmes, allowing them to sell pre-packed food and beverages, flowers, and children's toys. "Whereas the second category, temporary hawkers, refers to traders operating at fixed locations or roadside stalls at designated spaces operating within a specified timeframe approved by the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur," it said. DBKL said these licences, however, are issued either as Limited Time-based Licences or Roadside Stall Licences, that only allow the sales of take-away food and drinks. "Licence applications will open from June 1 to 30, with approvals for certain mobile hawker licences under ongoing programmes under a stipulated period for approval. All applications will be screened according to DBKL set criteria, and successful applicants will be notified in Aug," it said. DBKL also reminded the public not to trust any third party, agent or representative to handle their applications. "All applications must be made directly with DBKL," it said, adding that details for the licence eligibility and the application procedures would soon be shared via DBKL's official website and social media platforms. DBKL said it is confident that the initiative will help drive local economic development, elevate professionalism among traders, and contribute to a more structured and sustainable urban economy. "The legalisation programme is a key effort to bring informal traders into the formal economy while ensuring Kuala Lumpur remains orderly and inclusive," it added. This latest initiative builds on DBKL's ongoing efforts over the years to organise and monitor unlicensed street traders. Past initiatives have included zoning, the introduction of mobile hawker permits, and the relocation of unregulated stalls to designated sites. In 2020, DBKL took steps to legalise thousands of petty traders during the height of the pandemic, offering temporary permits to cushion the impact of movement restrictions. While those efforts faced logistical and enforcement challenges, they marked a shift toward integrating the informal sector more actively into city planning. This initiative however, is seen as an effort to modernise service delivery for local businesses and help strengthen community-based economies. ends
New Straits Times
07-05-2025
- New Straits Times
MACC arrests 2 Penang council workers for corruption over tender
audreymd@ GEORGE TOWN: Two officials of a local council in Penang have been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for corruption. According to a source, the two, along with a company owner, are suspected of corrupt activities involving tenders for the installation of traffic lights and streetlights since 2016. Magistrates' Court registrar Muhammad Azam Md Eusoff granted a four-day remand for the two civil servants. The company owner was remanded for two days. The source said the two civil servants, a man and a woman, and the male company director, all aged between 30 and 40, were arrested at the Penang MACC office while giving their statements. "Preliminary investigations indicate that several company owners bribed the civil servants in exchange for helping them secure tenders for traffic light and streetlight projects by submitting applications containing false details," said the source. "It is believed that the two civil servants received bribes ranging from RM3,000 to RM5,000 since 2016." Meanwhile, MACC Intelligence Division senior director Datuk Idris Zaharudin confirmed the arrests. He said the case is being investigated under Section 16(b)(B) of the MACC Act for bribery, which is punishable by a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
New Straits Times
03-05-2025
- New Straits Times
4 workers injured after steam boiler explodes at palm oil mill
fuadnizam@ KUALA LUMPUR: Four workers were left injured after a steam boiler exploded at a palm oil mill in Bestari Jaya, Kuala Selangor. Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Ahmad Mukhlis Mukhtar said they received an emergency call at 9.11am. Following the call, a team of four firefighters and a fire rescue tender from the Bestari Jaya Fire and Rescue station was dispatched to the scene. "According to preliminary reports, the explosion occurred when the workers were conducting water heating tasks using the steam boiler for the mill's operations. "There were four victims — a local, two Nepalese nationals, and one Bangladeshi — all aged between their 20s and 30s. Each sustained burns to their legs," he said in a statement. Mukhlis added that the fire had been extinguished before firefighters arrived. All victims were taken to Tanjong Karang Hospital by members of the public.
