Melaka PH confirms withdrawal from state government

 

Melaka Pakatan Harapan (PH) confirms its withdrawal from the state government after opposing amendments to the Melaka State Constitution allowing the appointment of nominated state assemblymen. – NSTP file pic

MELAKA: Melaka Pakatan Harapan (PH) has confirmed its withdrawal from the state administration after opposing amendments to the Melaka State Constitution allowing for the appointment of nominated state assemblymen.

In a joint statement signed by Melaka PH chairman Adly Zahari, acting Melaka PKR chairman Adam Adli Abdul Halim, Melaka DAP chairman Khoo Poay Tiong and Melaka Amanah chairman Datuk Ashraf Mukhlis Minghat, the coalition said the decision was finalised at a meeting involving state leaders and all five Melaka PH assemblymen today.

The meeting confirmed the withdrawal of PH's five state assemblymen from the state government after the coalition maintained its opposition to the constitutional amendment.

"The decision to withdraw from the state government is in line with democratic principles and practice, whereby an executive councillor or state assemblyman who no longer supports a state government motion in the State Legislative Assembly is no longer entitled to continue enjoying the privileges and facilities provided by the state government," the statement said.

Melaka PH also decided that all its councillors and Village Development and Security Committee members would resign from their positions effective July 31 to ensure a smooth transition.

The coalition thanked the chief minister, state government and civil service for their trust and cooperation throughout its tenure in the administration.

It added that its assemblymen would continue serving the people of Melaka, regardless of political affiliation, until the end of their mandate.

The decision follows the approval of amendments to the Melaka State Constitution on Tuesday to allow the appointment of nominated state assemblymen, which was opposed by PH's five state assemblymen.  - NST

Johor exco line-up expected to be sworn in on July 17

 

The crown structure at the entrance of Istana Bukit Serene in Johor Baru. (Photo courtesy of Media Digital Johor)

JOHOR BARU: Talk has been rife about a possible swearing-in of the Johor executive council line-up on Friday (July 17) morning.

The oath-taking ceremony is expected to take place before Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim at Istana Bukit Serene here.

It is believed that the state exco line-up will be a mix of new and old faces.

During the 16th Johor state election held on July 11, Johor Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi led the coalition to a stunning victory by bagging 48 out of the 56 seats contested.

He was sworn in as Mentri Besar for a second term the next day.

In the days leading up to the unveiling of the Johor exco line-up, there has been speculation about who would be on the list, with several unverified lists circulated online. - Star

Network School shelves investment plans for country after Israeli controversy

 Founder Balaji Srinivasan says investments will be put on hold until 'we get sufficient assurance that such issues won’t recur'.

Network School founder Balaji Srinivasan said over RM100 million had been invested in its Forest City campus. (X pic)

PETALING JAYA:

The founder of Network School (NS), a private residential community in Johor which came under scrutiny following claims that Israeli nationals were among its participants, says they will shelve their Malaysian investment plans for now.

In a post on X, Balaji Srinivasan said NS had already invested over RM100 million in its Forest City campus and employed dozens of Malaysians, directly and indirectly, at every level from executive to staff.

NS, he claimed, “revitalised the multibillion-dollar Forest City project, causing millions of ringgit in real estate appreciation”.

Until the controversy, NS was on the cusp of a RM500 million expansion project, Srinivasan said.

“At this point, all further investments we were planning to make in Malaysia is on hold until we get sufficient assurance that such issues won’t recur.

“So are the investment plans of many of our friends, including the execs and investors at global tech firms that we brought to Forest City.”

He added that an “emerging multi-billion dollar success story” risked being derailed by a fake story spread by an anonymous account.

Srinivasan said Malaysia now had two options.

He said if the country still wanted continued global tech investments and aimed to be among the top 20 tech hubs, NS was open to discussing a memorandum of understanding with Putrajaya, similar to the one signed recently between the Solana Foundation and the Kazakhstan government.

Srinivasan said they would publicly commit to abiding by all Malaysian laws and respecting Malaysia’s sovereignty.

“Alternatively, if you don’t want our investment, or those of our colleagues at billion-dollar funds and trillion-dollar companies, we will of course respect your wishes, and reallocate our capital to other countries instead.”

Earlier today, it was reported that the immigration department had yet to find any evidence that Israeli nationals were present at the Network School in Forest City.

The department had yesterday inspected 266 foreigners from 40 countries taking part in the Network School, and all possessed valid immigration documents.

Launched in 2024, the Network School is a private residential community in Forest City founded by Srinivasan, a former Coinbase chief technology officer and investor. - FMT

Binance still banned in Malaysia, says govt

 Finance ministry says Binance is not licensed or registered with the SC to conduct capital market activities in Malaysia.

Binance is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. (Unsplash pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Cryptocurrency and blockchain giant Binance is still not permitted to conduct capital market activities in Malaysia, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar, who is also finance minister, said the Securities Commission of Malaysia (SC) had removed Binance from its Investor Alert List in 2024 as the company no longer conducted regulated activities in Malaysia.

However, Binance’s website and application remain banned from being accessed by users in Malaysia, he said.

“The SC will continue monitoring developments and will take appropriate action if there are breaches of the law or new risks (posed by Binance) to local investors.

“Nonetheless, at this time, Binance is not licensed or registered with the SC to conduct capital market activities in Malaysia,” he said in a written parliamentary reply.

He was responding to former finance minister Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan), who asked whether the SC plans to issue Binance a licence to operate in Malaysia.

Anwar said the SC was prepared to engage with global players interested in participating and developing the Malaysian capital market.

“Any party wishing to carry out regulated activities in Malaysia must obtain a licence or register with the SC under the Capital Markets and Services Act.

“All formal applications are subject to the relevant assessment process to ensure compliance with the SC’s regulatory requirements,” he added.

Binance is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. It operates in nations like Australia, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

It is in discussions to operate in the European Union and also plans to expand further in Asia, according to Reuters.

Binance was added to the SC’s Investor Alert List in July 2020 before the commission formally banned access to Binance’s website and app a year later after it continued to operate illegally.  - FMT

PN to field Rais Yatim’s son, ex-Melaka police No 2

 The PAS-led coalition will contest 11 seats that BN will not vie for in the Negeri Sembilan state election.

Parti Wawasan Negara will field Danni Rais (left) in Klawang and former Melaka deputy police chief Razali Abu Samah in Sikamat as the party contests in its maiden election.

PETALING JAYA:

Veteran politician Rais Yatim’s son and a former senior police officer are among Perikatan Nasional’s candidates for the Aug 1 Negeri Sembilan state election.

Parti Wawasan Negara will field Danni Rais in Klawang and former Melaka deputy police chief Razali Abu Samah in Sikamat as opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin’s party contests in its maiden election.

Ex-Gemas assemblyman Ridzuan Ahmad, who recently left Bersatu for Wawasan, will seek a second term representing the constituency.

In announcing the coalition’s candidates tonight, PN chairman Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said it will only contest 11 seats, all of which Barisan Nasional has not nominated candidates for in the state election.

Samsuri said PAS will contest five seats followed by Wawasan (four) as well as Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP), with one each.

PAS will be seeking to retain the Serting, Paroi and Bagan Pinang seats it won in 2023, with the Islamic party fielding the three incumbents.

PAS also named former PKR man Rafie Abd Malek as its candidate in Ampangan, while its non-Muslim wing will field a candidate in Lobak.

Of the 11 seats being contested by PN, seven of them were won by Pakatan Harapan in the 2023 state election.

Here is the full list of PN’s candidates in the Negeri Sembilan state election:

N4. Klawang – Danni Rais

N5. Serting – Fairuz Isa

N11. Lobak – P Kumar

N13. Sikamat – Razali Abu Samah

N14. Ampangan – Rafie Abd Malek

N21. Bukit Kepayang – Lee Boon Shan

N23. Mambau – Eric Michael

N25. Paroi – Kamarul Ridzuan Zin

N30. Lukut – N Sathes Kumar

N31. Bagan Pinang – Abd Fatah Zakaria

N34. Gemas – Ridzuan Ahmad

- FMT

Education ministry tightens SOP for teachers accused of sexual offences

 Teachers suspected of sexual offences will be immediately transferred out of schools.

Education minister Fadhlina Sidek said teachers suspected or charged with sexual offences would be placed with the ministry’s human resource management division. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

The education ministry has tightened its SOPs for teachers accused of sexual offences, including having them immediately transferred out of schools and requiring heads of department to lodge police reports as soon as complaints are received.

Education minister Fadhlina Sidek said teachers suspected or charged with sexual offences would be placed with the ministry’s human resource management division.

“The measure ensures the teacher is removed entirely from the school environment in the shortest possible time to prevent any risk to students,” she said in a written parliamentary reply.

She was responding to Jamaludin Yahya (PN-Pasir Salak), who asked about improvements to the ministry’s SOP for handling teachers accused of paedophilia, sexual grooming, molestation and other sexual offences in schools.

Fadhlina said the ministry had also streamlined procedures to speed up the removal of teachers from duty while investigations into sexual offence allegations were ongoing.

Under the revised SOP, heads of department are now required to also submit a preliminary report to the ministry’s integrity unit.

The education ministry has also standardised procedures for reporting, investigations, disciplinary action and intervention across schools, district and state education offices, as well as the ministry to ensure such cases are handled in a consistent manner, she said.

Fadhlina said teachers found guilty of sexual misconduct could face disciplinary action, including dismissal. - FMT