Safer, more lawful options than letting gang-rape suspects sit for SPM, says activist

PETALING JAYA: Schools should remain a safe environment for learning and not places where past crimes are seemingly overlooked, says a human rights activist. Lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan expressed concern over the recent decision to allow four students accused of gang rape to sit for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations. Rajesh stressed that the presumption of innocence...

Over 80,000 benefit from Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme

KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly 90% of housing loans approved under the Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme have gone to Malaysians aged 40 and below, says Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu The Housing and Local Government Deputy Minister said more than 80,000 young borrowers had benefited from the scheme since its introduction in 2008. “The scheme has approved financing for 90,779...

RM4.3mil for maintenance, repair of Kemas preschools, nurseries in Sarawak

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM4.3mil has been allocated this year for the maintenance and repair of 115 Community Development Department (Kemas) preschools and nurseries in Sarawak, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Monday (Oct 13). Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Rubiah Wang, said that 20 new projects for the construction of Kemas preschools...

Asean Summit: HODs have discretion to approve WFH requests from public servants

PUTRAJAYA: Heads of departments (HODs) have been granted the authority to approve work-from-home (WFH) requests from civil servants living within a 25km radius of their offices, particularly those affected by anticipated traffic congestion during the upcoming Asean Summit at the end of this month. "Eligible civil servants are encouraged to consult with their respective HODs for...

Trump says he spoke with Machado after White House criticised Nobel snub

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US President Donald Trump said on Friday (Oct 10) that Nobel Prize winner Maria Corina Machado called him and said she accepted the prize in his honour, after the White House said earlier in the day that the Nobel Committee had chosen "politics over peace." The White House had criticised the Nobel Committee's...

Three killed in three-vehicle Senai-Desaru Highway crash, one SUV suspected of ferrying illicit ciggies

KOTA TINGGI: A fatal accident involving three vehicles, including a sports utility vehicle (SUV) suspected of carrying smuggled cigarettes, resulted in three deaths at KM56 of the Senai–Desaru Highway (E22) on Saturday (Oct 11) afternoon, Sinar Harian reports. Kota Tinggi OCPD Supt Yusof Othman said that a 32-year-old local man driving an SUV sustained serious injuries...

Houses must be built with quality and on time, says Pahang Sultan

KUANTAN: The Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, has decreed that all houses built in the state must be of high quality and completed within the stipulated timeframe. His Royal Highness said failure to follow the construction schedule could lead to higher costs, burdening developers and, eventually, homebuyers. "Substandard homes are unacceptable as they amount to...

Security tightened at public areas ahead of Deepavali, says KL’s top cop

KUALA LUMPUR: Police will tighten security at public areas popular with shoppers ahead of the Deepavali celebration on Oct 20. Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Fadil Marsus said the measure is aimed at ensuring public safety and keeping the capital city safe. "The police will act as the main enforcement agency together with other departments to...

FAM-FIFA scandal caused by powerful person who is ‘above the law’, says Dr M

PETALING JAYA: A powerful person, who operates "above the law" is behind the alleged fabrication of documents in Malaysia’s process of registering their mixed-heritage football players, claims Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The former prime minister said this during Sinar Daily's Top News Podcast on Thursday (Oct 9), when he expressed his embarrassment over the incident that...

Putin says ‘no big deal’ for Russia if US declines to extend nuclear warhead limits

MOSCOW (Reuters) -President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia was developing new strategic weapons and it would not be critical for Moscow if the United States declined to extend the warhead limits set out in a nuclear arms treaty that expires next year. He said it would, however, be a shame if nothing remained of...