Govt to build 41ha ‘Madani City’ in Putrajaya

 The first phase, involving the construction of around 3,000 residential units and a vertical school, is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

Federal territories minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa briefing Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the ‘Madani City’. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 The government plans to build a 41ha “Madani City” in Putrajaya, with the groundbreaking ceremony set for June 26.

Federal territories minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the township will be a strategic long-term development for Putrajaya and will come with 10,000 residential units to house 30,000 people.

She said its design would integrate artificial intelligence, high-efficiency digital infrastructure and a green mobility system.

“This is the foundation for a low-carbon city that upholds the principles of sustainability, welfare and public safety,” she said in a Facebook post.

Zaliha presented the township’s concept to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today, adding that it was in line with the government’s vision of making the three federal territories clean, healthy, advanced, safe and eco-friendly, or “CHASE cities”.

Separately, Anwar said the “Madani City” concept stresses on providing centralised and holistic basic facilities that would ensure the people’s welfare.

He said among the facilities being planned are a secondary school, a technical and vocational education and training institution, banks, a government clinic and a mosque.

“The first phase will involve the construction of around 3,000 residential units and a vertical school, and is expected to be completed and operational by the end of 2027,” said the prime minister. - FMT

Warisan vows to have DLP in all Sabah schools if elected to power

 Kota Kinabalu Warisan secretary Loi Kok Liang says the party will implement the dual language programme so that Mathematics and Science are taught in English.

Sabah recorded the second-lowest score among Malaysian states in the EF English Proficiency Index.

PETALING JAYA:

 Warisan has pledged to implement the dual language programme (DLP) so that Mathematics and Science are taught in English throughout Sabah if it is elected to form the state government.

Kota Kinabalu Warisan secretary Loi Kok Liang said the party would make the DLP a core education policy and implement it comprehensively if it is returned to power.

“In today’s globalised world, we cannot let the next generation of Sabahans to be left behind.

“English is not just about personal development. It is a cornerstone of national competitiveness,” Loi said in a statement.

He noted that Perak had made visible progress in English proficiency, emerging as the most English-proficient state in the country, according to the 2024 EF English Proficiency Index.

The EF English Proficiency Index evaluates the skills of adults in the language in over 100 countries. Perak had the highest score of 585 among Malaysian states, followed by Kedah and Penang, with 583 points each.

Sabah recorded the second-lowest score among Malaysian states with 553, while Melaka ranked last with 550.

Loi said Sabah must not be content with merely observing others but must act decisively to move forward.

The party also intends to regularly monitor the implementation of the DLP programme. It also wants to integrate English use into the workplace in the tourism and services sectors.

Loi said for real educational reforms to take place, Sabah must reclaim authority over its education policies.

“Warisan therefore pledges to re-establish the Sabah education ministry, empowering local experts to craft policies that reflect Sabah’s unique context and multicultural needs.”

The state education ministry was abolished in 2020, when the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government took over the administration of the state.

Since then, education matters in Sabah have been subject to federal jurisdiction.

In May 2023, deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof said granting Sabah and Sarawak administrative authority in education and health was one of the important matters discussed by Putrajaya’s Malaysia Agreement 1963 secretariat. - FMT

Domestic trade ministry’s LPG cylinder operation explained

 No legal action is being taken against F&B operators at present and the feedback from stakeholders will be considered in reviewing the 2021 regulation.

From Armizan Mohd Ali

Op Gasak is being carried out from May 1 to Oct 31 with the main focus on combating illegal decanting, smuggling and use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders by large- and medium-sized industries.

The legal authority for Op Gasak is derived from the Control of Supplies Act 1961, Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, and the Control of Supplies Regulations (Amendment) 2021 or PPKB (Amendment) 2021.

No new policies or regulations are being introduced, and there are certainly no cuts or abolition of LPG subsidies, as alleged by certain parties.

Certain issues have arisen with the implementation and enforcement of PPKB (Amendment) 2021 involving certain business sectors, specifically the food and beverage (F&B) industry.

For that reason, inspections at F&B premises under Op Gasak are currently focussed on compliance checks and advocacy. No legal action is being taken against these F&B businesses.

Once the operation concludes, a report on Op Gasak will serve as one of the key references for reviewing the relevance of the PPKB (Amendment) 2021, in relation to LPG cylinders.

Since Op Gasak commenced on May 1, a technical committee chaired by the domestic trade and cost of living ministry secretary-general was formed to look into the matter.

In addition to the Op Gasak report, recommendations and views from various stakeholders will be considered before any proposals are brought to the Cabinet.

Under the previous government, amendments were made in 2021 to the Control of Supplies Regulations. One of the amended provisions fixed a limit on the use of LPG cylinders for trade or business purposes.

Specifically, the PPKB (Amendment) 2021 states that any business using over 42kg of LPG at any one time requires an application for a scheduled controlled goods permit.

This means that any party using more than 42kg (that is more than three of the 14kg cylinders, normally used by domestic users) must apply for a permit and cannot use subsidised LPG cylinders.

This amendment has been in force since Oct 15, 2021.

There are views that the 2021 regulations have impacted business costs for F&B traders, which in turn could affect their prices if they are not allowed to use subsidised cylinders.

The underlying basis of the LPG subsidy is that it is a household consumption subsidy, not one intended for trade or commercial use.

However, current regulations allow the use of up to 42kg at any one time without requiring a permit.

F&B traders have expressed the need to use more than three subsidised LPG cylinders at once.

If this need of theirs is to be considered, amendments to the 2021 regulations — specifically to the 42kg limit — will become necessary.

We must also take into account other factors, such as the limit on subsidised cylinders per business and the type and scale of the business (micro, small, medium or large).

Moreover, if food prices and cost of living are cited as justifications, the prices charged by these businesses should also be examined.

For example, one trader sells chicken rice at RM8 per plate, while another sells it for over RM20. This is a big price difference despite both of them benefitting from the same LPG subsidy.

A very important factor to consider is the financial implication on government allocations, which are public funds.

For instance, the estimated subsidy for a business using five LPG cylinders a day is RM6,510 per month, based on RM43.40 in subsidy per cylinder. For a business using 10 cylinders daily, the monthly subsidy totals RM13,020 (300 cylinders/month).

At the same time, monitoring mechanisms such as the requirement for scheduled goods permits are crucial.

Based on the ministry’s enforcement, there is a risk of decanting from subsidised supplies to businesses when there is no record-keeping or sale limits in place for verification.

Decanting refers to the illegal transfer of LPG from subsidised cylinders to non-subsidised ones for commercial resale below market price, including for smuggling abroad.

All these considerations, together with the recommendations and views of various parties, will be taken into account to determine whether the PPKB (Amendment) 2021 should be revised.

If amendments are deemed necessary, the parameters and scope of the amendments must be carefully determined.

Therefore, the Op Gasak report is a key reference point in charting the way forward for improving the 2021 regulations. - FMT

Armizan Mohd Ali is the domestic trade and cost of living minister.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.

Vanguard or victim? Rafizi closing the door on himself

 Why weren’t his ‘reformasi’ principles offended until he tasted defeat in his party polls?

From Jeffri Saling

I read Terence Netto’s defence of outgoing economy minister Rafizi Ramli with some amusement.

He has gone to lengths to portray Rafizi as a gallant hero who stepped down in a valiant effort to stem the tide against those who would compromise the principles of “reformasi”.

While I would never challenge Rafizi’s great contributions to the party and the country, I am also equally sure that they are being exaggerated.

How visible was he as economy minister these past two and a half years? What did he really do?

Is he really that approachable, because the feedback, even from his supporters, is often that he is aloof.

How come his “reformasi” principles weren’t offended until he himself tasted defeat in the party polls? This isn’t even the first time he reacted in a churlish manner, taking a step back when his contributions are needed.

I wonder how staff members feel about his move, given that he has left them jobless.

Given that he is an acclaimed vanguard of the reform movement, is it not immature and irresponsible of him to walk away when he is most needed?

Let’s not forget that the party leaders attempted to work with him after the polls.

Now he is standing in the corner playing the victim. Does this really help the cause he professes to be fighting for?

I fear that Rafizi is closing the door on himself. - FMT

Jeffri Saling is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.

Ringgit closes slightly higher on cautious sentiment

 Traders are slipping into a wait-and-see approach ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting, says analyst.

KUALA LUMPUR:

 The ringgit closed higher against the dollar today, as traders remain cautious ahead of US president Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping’s expected meeting this week, said an analyst.

SPI Asset Management managing partner Stephen Innes said traders are slipping into a wait-and-see approach ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting, which could be a key factor in market risk for the rest of the week.

“Given that the US is the world’s leading importer and China its largest exporter, their relationship could shift market sentiment in favour of the dollar, easing concerns about supply chain disruptions and imported inflation.

“This dynamic leaves emerging currencies like the ringgit in a reactive position – caught between two economic superpowers whose trade decisions heavily influence global pricing trends,” he told Bernama.

At 6pm, the local note inched higher to 4.2425/4.2485 versus the greenback from last Friday’s close of 4.2530/4.2605.

At the close, the ringgit traded lower against a basket of major currencies.

It slipped against the Japanese yen to 2.9695/2.9739 from Friday’s close of 2.9531/2.9585, eased vis-a-vis the euro to 4.8415/4.8484 from 4.8169/4.8254, and depreciated against the British pound to 5.7337/5.7418 from 5.7284/5.7385 previously.

The local note traded mixed against its Asean peers.

It was slightly higher versus the Indonesian rupiah at 260.1/260.6 compared to 260.4/261.1 on Friday, and gained against the Philippine peso to 7.61/7.63 from 7.62/7.64 previously.

However, it fell against the Singapore dollar to 3.2967/3.3016 from 3.2938/3.3002 on Friday and weakened vis-a-vis the Thai baht to 13.0334/13.0603 from 12.9507/12.9790 previously. - FMT