Details of aid for Chinese, Tamil schools in 2 weeks

 Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the government would continue to ensure that the needs of all communities and education streams in the country were addressed fairly.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaking at a Madani carnival in Melaka today. (PMO pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Details of federal government assistance for Chinese- and Tamil-medium schools will be announced in about two weeks, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today.

Speaking at a Madani carnival in Melaka, the prime minister said the government would continue to ensure that the needs of all communities and education streams in the country were addressed fairly, without marginalising any group.

“For the country to remain peaceful, we must look after everyone,” he said, Bernama reported. He said assistance for Islamic educational institutions did not mean the government was neglecting vernacular schools.

“Many students in pondok schools and tahfiz institutions had long been neglected and received no assistance, so we have increased the allocations. The assistance and programmes for Chinese and Tamil schools have already been scheduled, and the announcement will be made in Kuala Lumpur in about two weeks,” he said.

He said efforts to strengthen Islamic educational institutions had been stepped up since the formation of the unity government. He said assistance for religious schools had previously been discontinued. “When I took over in 2022, we began restoring assistance in 2023 and increased it further in 2024,” he said.

“We are upgrading pondok schools and introducing AI and computer training. Otherwise, while other schools such as Chinese and Tamil schools continue to be well-managed, pondok schools would be left behind. That cannot happen,” he said.

He announced a total allocation of RM1.29 million to upgrade infrastructure at 13 Islamic educational institutions in Melaka. - FMT

KL can learn from Kuching’s inclusive food festivals, says Hannah

 The federal territories minister says she is looking into adapting Kuching's approach as both cities have multiracial populations.

The Kuching Festival’s inclusive approach, involving young people and businesses, has won praise from federal territories minister Hannah Yeoh. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Kuala Lumpur can learn from Kuching’s inclusive approach in organising food festivals to involve youth and businesses, federal territories minister Hannah Yeoh said.

Yeoh said she was now looking into adapting the concept in Kuala Lumpur as the two cities have diverse and multiracial populations, Dayak Daily reported.

She revealed that after becoming federal territories minister, she had instructed Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) officers to look into how Kuching organised its food festival, including incorporating fresh ideas from young people. “I felt the concept was unique and very vibrant,” she was quoted as saying.

Yeoh said there was potential for the two city councils to collaborate and exchange ideas in areas such as outdoor dining, waste management, business licensing and community farming.

Kuching South’s natural farmers market was another initiative that Kuala Lumpur could learn from, she said.

Yeoh said she held discussions with Sarawak’s tourism, creative industry and performing arts minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah on how the state handled concerts; DBKL was looking at streamlining its concert approval procedures through a one-stop centre, she said. - FMT

BN will stick to informal pact with PN, says Umno man

 Supreme Council member Razlan Rafii says past experience has made Barisan Nasional wary of formal alliances.

Supreme Council member Razlan Rafii said the strategy for the Johor and Negeri Sembilan elections proved fruitful and staved off any unhappiness among the contesting parties. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Barisan Nasional is more focussed on maintaining the electoral understanding it has with Perikatan Nasional for the next state and general elections, rather than forging an official alliance, Umno Supreme Council member Razlan Rafii said.

Citing past experiences, Razlan said BN was wary about entering into any formal pacts, Astro Awani reported.

He said the strategy used at the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections proved not only fruitful but also staved off any unhappiness among the contesting parties.

Seats between the two coalitions were negotiated based on their respective strengths without affecting each other’s machinery.

“With Muafakat Nasional (MN) we could not come to a compromise,” he was quoted as saying, referring to the electoral pact forged between PAS and Umno in 2019 to consolidate the Malay vote.

In a veiled jab at Bersatu, he said that a third party exploited the impasse, leading to MN’s dissolution. “And we don’t want history to repeat itself,” he said.

Razlan said the informal electoral understanding had worked in Negeri Sembilan and Johor as there were no aggrieved parties.

At the Johor state election last month, PN told its supporters to back BN in constituencies the opposition coalition was not contesting. BN went on to score a landslide victory.

At the Negeri Sembilan polls on Aug 1 , PN and BN reached an understanding not to contest against each other. The move saw the two coalitions form a state government. - FMT

Hamzah calls for give-and-take in Melaka seat talks

 The Wawasan president says the leaders of BN and PN must sit together and work out how to continue the ‘blue wave’ that began in the Johor polls.

Wawasan president Hamzah Zainudin said that all the parties involved must look beyond Melaka and consider the bigger picture, including other states set to hold their own elections.

PETALING JAYA:

Wawasan president Hamzah Zainudin has urged Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional to adopt a give-and-take approach in negotiating seats in the coming Melaka state election.

He said that continuing the “blue wave” that began in Johor would require coalition leaders to sit down together and work out seat allocations.

“If we are really to cooperate and continue the blue wave that began in Johor, all those involved must practise compromise,” he said after the party’s extraordinary general meeting tonight.

Hamzah was responding to BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s statement yesterday that BN intends to defend all 21 seats it currently holds in the Melaka state assembly.

However, Zahid also said BN is open to reaching an understanding with any party, including those in PN, similar to the arrangement made for the Negeri Sembilan state election.

Hamzah said all the parties involved must look beyond Melaka and consider the bigger picture, including other states set to hold their own elections. “The public interest is our greater priority. We do not want our approach towards each other to change after we win and take power. That is most important,” he said.

Hamzah also said Wawasan is interested in contesting Bemban and Sungai Udang, claiming that the incumbents had expressed their support for his party and should be given the opportunity to defend their seats.

At the same time, he dismissed claims of a rift between BN and PN, describing them as attempts by certain quarters to drive a wedge between the coalitions.

“We just had our representatives sworn in as executive councillors in Negeri Sembilan today. How can anyone claim there is a rift between us?” he asked. - FMT

Plan for the common folk, not just mega projects, says PM

 Anwar Ibrahim says about 80% of the people in Kuala Lumpur eat at hawker stalls, roadside eateries and small restaurants, not five-star restaurants.

In a reminder to development planners, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said they must not forget that the majority of Malaysians do not dine at five-star restaurants. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Development plans should allocate funds for places frequented by the public, including the cleanliness of food stalls, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today.

He said development plans should not focus solely on mega projects that largely benefit higher-income groups.

“Yes, we are known for our impressive landmarks, but we must not forget that the majority of Malaysians do not dine at five-star restaurants. In Kuala Lumpur, about 80% of the people eat at hawker stalls, roadside eateries and small restaurants,” he said at a ceremony here to mark national landscape day, Bernama reported.

“How much attention do we give to beautifying and keeping these places clean? That is why I say development planning will fail if we do not strike the right balance,” he said. Development must be carried out in a balanced manner across all sectors to enhance the country’s standing on the world stage, he said.

He thanked the Melaka state government and the Melaka city council for their warm welcome and said differences between the political parties in the federal and state governments should not stand in the way of friendship and cooperation between them.

“Our system of government requires close cooperation. We may have differing views and belong to different political parties, but these differences should not hinder friendship, goodwill and cooperation that directly benefit the people,” he said.

The Melaka state government is formed by Barisan Nasional, which is a coalition partner of Pakatan Harapan in the federal government. However the two parties have been direct rivals in the recent state assembly elections in Johor and Negeri Sembilan. - FMT

2 nabbed in sedition probe over podcast

 The discussion by the two men allegedly touched on religious issues.

Klang Utara police chief Ramsay Embol said the two men are in their 30s and 60s. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Two men have been arrested in an investigation for sedition over a podcast that allegedly touched on religious issues.

Klang Utara police chief Ramsay Embol said police received a report at about 11.54am on Aug 5 over a video clip from a podcast featuring the two men discussing secularism and liberalism.

“Following the report, police opened an investigation paper and arrested the two men, who are in their 30s and 60s,” he said in a statement. He did not state when the two men were arrested.

Apart from sedition, the two are also being investigated under Penal Code provisions on speech, intentional insults, as well as statements that cause fear in the public, and for wounding religious feelings. - FMT