‘Hardly money’: Former NY Fed chief blasts Trump’s Bitcoin reserve

Bill Dudley, the former chief of the New York Fed, warned against holding Bitcoin as a reserve and urged a focus on regulation. Dudley criticized a proposed federal Bitcoin btc1.77%Bitcoin reserve championed by Donald Trump during his presidential campaign. In a Bloomberg op-ed, Dudley argued that the plan would fail to benefit most Americans and could destabilize the economy. Dudley acknowledged Bitcoin’s appeal as...

Retirees to benefit from salary adjustments

MARANG: Government retirees will see pension increases under the latest adjustment of the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA), aligning their benefits with current public servants, says the Public Service director-general. This adjustment ensures that retirees benefit from similar increments whenever a new remuneration system is introduced, Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said. “This pension adjustment...

Zahid: Govt to rope in AI in multi-ministry plan to tackle scams and violence

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is taking proactive steps to curb the escalating trend of violent crimes, scams and other social issues that are plaguing communities across the nation, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. The Deputy Prime Minister said with the rapid rise of digital and communication technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years,...

Govt invites public input on 13th Malaysia Plan, says Rafizi

SHAH ALAM: The government seeks to gather ideas and opinions from the public to formulate the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), which is scheduled to be presented in Parliament next July, says Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli. To facilitate this, he noted that smaller engagement and discussion sessions are being held, in contrast to the previous approach of...

Reconsider UPSR, PT3 return

KUALA LUMPUR: Educators and parent groups say the reintroduction of major examinations such as the UPSR and PT3 should only be considered if the assessments are of substance and quality. They cautioned against any “quick fix” solutions and over-reliance on such assessments that may not appropriately evaluate students’ knowledge and competencies. Parent Action Group for Education chairman...

Drug crimes, substance abuse need urgent govt attention, conference told

PUTRAJAYA: Drug-related crimes and substance abuse emerged as the central issues requiring urgent government action at the first National Security Conference 2024. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that drug-related offences dominated discussions at the conference, noting that many criminal activities often begin with drug problems. "These issues often escalate to armed robbery, property crimes,...

Dr Mahathir supports govt’s efforts in bringing Palestinians to Malaysia for treatment

PUTRAJAYA: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad supports the government’s efforts in bringing injured Palestinians to Malaysia for treatment. He said that Palestinians were Muslim brothers who deserve to be helped in their time of need. "They (the Palestinians) are Muslims, we Muslims are brothers. So when they face problems, we need to help them as...

Dr Akmal urges government to confirm existence of royal addendum for Najib Razak

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth Chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh wants the government to confirm the existence of the royal addendum for the convicted Datuk Seri Najib Razak. “We want the government to respond. If it exists, why is it not implemented? That is all,” he told a press conference after the Umno general assembly on Saturday...

Govt files appeal against Semantan Estate land transfer order

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has filed an appeal against the High Court's order on the transfer of 263.272 acres (106.542 hectares) of land in Mukim Batu, Kuala Lumpur, to Semantan Estate Sdn Bhd. The disputed land, located in the prime Jalan Duta area known as the "Duta enclave”, houses government buildings that include the National Hockey...

Over RM8mil allocated for development of idle land in Kelantan

PASIR MAS: The government has approved RM8.2mil for 11 idle land development projects for agricultural purposes in Kelantan this year. Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud said the projects are a collaboration between the state government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. "According to records from the Department of Agriculture from 2006 to 2023,...