Sarawak taking steps to boost padi production, says state minister

KUCHING: Sarawak is looking into ways to increase padi production to boost its rice self-sufficiency level, says Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom. The Sarawak Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister said a meeting with Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg would be held on Tuesday (Oct 3) to find the best solutions...

Sabah lawyers to work with government to update outdated state laws

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah lawyers are keen to work with the state government to update state laws to be more in tune to the needs of the present day. Sabah Law Society (SLS) president Roger Chin (pic) these were among the items discussed during a courtesy call to the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor on Friday...

Teachers among top victims of online scammers in Johor, says state police chief

JOHOR BARU: Teachers are among the top victims who fall for scammers, says Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat (pic). The Johor police chief said that in Johor, 117 cases of teachers getting scammed have been reported as of September this year. "This involves losses of more than RM4.24mil. In terms of value, it is higher compared to...

Works Ministry receives 10 times more complaints of road damage via MYJalan app, says Nanta

KUALA LUMPUR: Complaints of road damage received by the Works Ministry through the MYJalan application have increased tenfold since it was launched in August, in line with the MYJalan campaign, says Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. The Works Minister said it was a positive development and a testament to the people’s concern for the quality of...

Five charged with gang robbery of semiconductor factory

IPOH: Five men were charged at a Sessions Court here for committing gang robbery at a semiconductor factory. Mohd Nizam Abd Rahim, 40; Junaidy Ali, 46; Muhamad Rozaidi Yusoff,42; Rizuan Mohamad Yusof, 32; and Zairul Nizam Mohd Sazali, 47; claimed trial to the charges before Sessions Court Judge Ainul Shahrin Mohamad on Tuesday (Oct 3). According to...

Malaysia stands by GDP forecast despite World Bank’s estimates, says Ahmad Maslan

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia stands by its forecast for the country's gross domestic product (GDP) at between 4% and 5% in 2023, says Deputy Finance Minister I Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan. "We respect the World Bank's analysis. But we will keep our forecast at around 4% to 5%, as there has been no change in terms of...

More than 500,000 housewives expected to register for social security scheme, says Socso

KUALA LUMPUR: Over half a million housewives are expected to register for the Housewives Social Security Scheme (SKSSR) by the end of this year, says the Social Security Organisation (Socso). To achieve this, more online advertisements and awareness campaigns will be launched throughout the next three months from Oct 1 to December 31 as part of...

‘They’re just meat’: Russia deploys punishment battalions in echo of Stalin

LONDON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Drunk recruits. Insubordinate soldiers. Convicts. They're among hundreds of military and civilian offenders who've been pressed into Russian penal units known as "Storm-Z" squads and sent to the frontlines in Ukraine this year, according to 13 people with knowledge of the matter, including five fighters in the units. Few live to tell their...

Company owner pleads guilty to RM44,600 false claim under Penjana

ALOR SETAR: A company owner pleaded guilty in the Sessions Court here Tuesday (Oct 3) to a charge of making a false claim amounting to RM44,600 under the Social Security Organisation's (Socso) Penjana Kerjaya 2.0 programme in 2021. Muhammad Asyraf Omar, 31, the proprietor of Asyraf Omar Legacy, made the plea after the alternative charge was...

Ministry kicks off investigation into roadside restaurant that charged customer RM1,200

JOHOR BARU: The Johor Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry has sent an investigation team following a viral video of a roadside restaurant in Tepian Tebrau charging RM1,200 to their customers. Its director Lilis Saslinda Pornomo said that the restaurant owner could be given a compound if the food sold did not display the prices. "It...