Warehouse fire in George Town nearly destroys building

GEORGE TOWN: A warehouse near Green Garden was nearly destroyed after a fire engulfed the building on Tuesday (Feb 11) evening. Penang Fire and Rescue Department director Mohd Shoki Hamzah said fire engines were dispatched after distress calls were received at 6.02pm. "Upon arrival, firefighters estimated that 80% of the 100 x 100 sq ft warehouse had...

Attendance at PLKN 3.0 compulsory for selected 18-year-olds

KUALA LUMPUR: Attendance at the later two series of the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0 this year will be compulsory for the 18-year-olds who are picked as participants, said the National Service Training Department. Unlike the volunteer trainees in the first series that started last month, participants of the second and third batches will be...

Health Ministry holds nationwide discussions on 45-hour work week for shift staff

BUTTERWORTH: The Health Ministry is holding nationwide engagement sessions before making a final decision on implementing a 45-hour work week for shift-based staff, including nurses, assistant medical officers, and ambulance drivers. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said he has personally attended several sessions in Penang, Pahang, Kota Kinabalu (Sabah), and Batu Pahat (Johor), with...

Selangor Sultan calls for unity, rejects proposed guidelines on Muslims at non-Muslim celebrations

KLANG: Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has shot down the proposal to set guidelines for Muslims attending non-Muslim festivities. A statement issued by Istana Alam Shah on Saturday (Feb 8) said Sultan Sharafuddin had expressed stern disagreement against the proposal, especially in Selangor. “As the head of Islam in Selangor, His Royal Highness opined that the...

Johor contributes 17.1% of Malaysia’s GDP, says Onn Hafiz

JOHOR BARU: Johor is the top contributor to the country's agricultural sector, says Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi. Onn Hafiz said the state recorded a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) value of RM17.21bil or 17.1% of the national GDP in the agriculture sector. "Johor continues to be the leader and the largest contributor to the country's...

Sabah govt failed to fight for state’s interests, let Putrajaya decide on labour issues, says Warisan veep

KOTA KINABALU: Warisan vice-president Datuk Junz Wong has hit out at the Sabah government for failing to protect workers as the RM1,700 minimum wage takes effect, warning that rising costs and inflation will burden businesses and consumers. He said the state government should have fought for Sabah’s interests instead of letting Putrajaya decide policies that don’t...

FBM KLCI extends winning run for fourth straight session

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI extended its rally for the fourth straight session, supported by broader optimism as markets abroad mostly closed higher. The 30-stock index rose 5.74 points, or 0.36%, to close at 1,590.91 points. For the week, the index jumped 33.99 points or 2.18%. Daily gainers for FBM KLCI constituents at 15 counters outweigh the...

Why keep changing the scoring system BWF, questions Rexy?

KUALA LUMPUR: If it ain't broke, don't fix it! This is national coaching director Rexy Mainaky's sentiment following the Badminton World Federation's (BWF) move to change the current 21-point scoring system to 15 points. In fact, he questioned the necessity behind the experiment. The Indonesian-born coach believes that as the sport’s governing body, BWF should focus on more...

No need for guidelines for Muslims visiting non-Muslim houses of worship, events, says PM

GOMBAK: There is no need for guidelines for Muslims visiting non-Muslim house of worships or events, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The Prime Ministger said that Muslims are already aware of the religious guidelines when visiting such places, especially not to participate in non-Muslim prayers. “I think that there is no need (for the guideline) because as...

Selangor Ruler calls on Muslims not to be swayed by misinformation, deviant teachings.

SHAH ALAM: Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has raised concerns about Muslims who are easily influenced by negative religious teachings that can cause them to deviate. The Ruler said there were many ways to obtain authentic religious information in accordance with the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah school of thought. “Many books on Islam are available in...