Bank Negara unlikely to follow US Fed rate cut, eyes domestic and global conditions

KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) is unlikely to move in direct lockstep with the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) aggressive move which slashed interest rates by a half-point during its Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting yesterday. The Fed decided to cut the Fed Funds Rate (FFR) by 50 basis points, bringing it to 4.75 per...

King departs for China on four-day state visit

SUBANG: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia departed for China on Thursday (Sept 19) morning for a four-day state visit at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. This is His Majesty's first visit to the republic after ascending the throne as the 17th King of Malaysia on Jan 31 this year. The special aircraft carrying His...

Immigration to give full cooperation in ‘counter setting’ probe

KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department will fully cooperate with authorities in the investigation of 49 officers detained in the "counter setting" probe. Newly appointed director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban stated the department will not tolerate any officers who misuse their authority or violate the law. "We will cooperate fully with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), police, and other...

Higher number of flood evacuees in Kedah, Penang and Perlis this morning

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of flood evacuees across three affected states increased to 4,223 on Thursday (Sept 19) morning, with all of them housed in 42 temporary relief centres (PPS), compared to 3,560 people in 34 centres the previous night. Kedah, the hardest-hit state so far, saw an increase from 2,882 evacuees last night to 3,441...

Fire Dept received 2,575 reports of fallen trees nationwide since January

PUTRAJAYA: The Fire and Rescue Department has received 2,575 emergency calls about fallen trees nationwide since January. The department reported that Selangor had the highest number of cases with 441, followed by Perak with 321 and Sarawak with 264 between Jan and July. "A total of eight victims were killed, 27 suffered various injuries, and 37 others...

No phones for Immigration officers on duty at KLIA to curb graft, MACC proposes

PUTRAJAYA: Immigration officers, including supervisors, stationed at the counters of KL International Airport Terminal 1 and 2 should not have access to their mobile phones while on duty, says Tan Sri Azam Baki. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner said the commission has proposed this to the Immigration department following the crackdown on counter setting...

Fuel prices Sept 19-25: RON97 petrol, diesel in peninsula down six sen

KUALA LUMPUR: The retail prices of RON97 petrol and diesel in Peninsular Malaysia will drop by six sen to RM3.19 and RM2.95 per litre respectively, from Sept 19-25. The Finance Ministry, in a statement on Wednesday (Sept 18), said that the drop in prices for RON97 petrol and diesel in the peninsula is in line with...

Melaka uni officials travel to Bukit Mertajam to present scholarship offer to underprivileged student

MELAKA: Underprivileged Bukit Mertajam student S. Darshini received an unexpected gift from top officials of Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) after the officials came knocking on the door of her home, almost 500km from here. The 21-year-old was attending to the needs of her visually impaired mother when UTeM representatives arrived at her house in Penang...

Falling tree crushes car in George Town, rescue ops underway

GEORGE TOWN: Two people are believed to have been killed when a tree fell onto their car in Lebuh Gereja here. The duo, who have yet to be identified, were inside the car parked within the compound of Pinang Peranakan Mansion during the incident at about 2.30pm on Wednesday (Sept 18). Rescue operations are ongoing as firemen...