Ahli Parlimen Bangi persoal PAS puji MoU masa jadi kerajaan namun label CSA sebagai 'pendekatan dajal' bila berada di blok pembangkang.
Ahli Parlimen Bangi Syahredzan Johan, berkata PAS akan mengubah sifatnya kedudukan dalam blok politik. (Gambar Facebook)
PETALING JAYA: Seorang Ahli Parlimen kerajaan membidas PAS tiada prinsip dan hanya berpegang kemahuan untuk berkuasa berkait pendirian parti itu mengenai perjanjian keyakinan dan pembekalan (CSA).
Awal hari ini, Presiden PAS Hadi Awang mengumpamakan CSA ditandatangani kerajaan dengan tujuh Ahli Parlimen pembangkang seperti penipuan dajal – ‘pembohong paling besar’, yang kemunculannya dianggap dalam Islam sebagai antara tanda besar semakin hampirnya Hari Kiamat.
Ahli Parlimen Bangi Syahredzan Johan mengimbau kembali situasi pada 2021, semasa pentadbiran bekas perdana menteri, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, apabila pembangkang memeterai memorandum persefahaman (MoU) bersama kerajaan.
“Masa itu, PAS menyambut baik. Malah, wakil PAS Takiyuddin Hassan terlibat sekali dalam penggubalan MoU tersebut.
“Asas MoU masa itu dan CSA zaman Anwar Ibrahim sama sahaja. Mengapa masa itu disambut baik, tetapi hari ini digelar sebagai ‘pendekatan dajal’?” katanya kepada FMT.
Mengulas lanjut, Syahredzan mempersoalkan sikap talam dua muka parti berkenaan yang disifatkannya berubah mengikut kedudukan dalam blok politik.
“Bila PAS dalam kerajaan, memasuki MoU untuk kestabilan politik boleh. Bila PAS jadi pembangkang, meterai CSA untuk kestabilan politik dicerca pula. Jelas bahawa PAS tiada prinsip, hanya berpegang pada kemahuan untuk berkuasa,” katanya.
CSA ditandatangani Presiden Bersatu Muhyiddin Yassin dan lima Ahli Parlimen Bersatu lain, serta Ahli Parlimen Muar daripada Muda Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, memberikan tujuh wakil rakyat itu akses peruntukan pembangunan kawasan Parlimen, yang telah diterima oleh Ahli Parlimen kerajaan sepanjang empat tahun lalu.
Ia turut merangka dua reformasi utama yang mesti dilaksanakan Putrajaya sebagai balasan kepada sokongan mereka – meletakkan had tempoh jawatan perdana menteri dan memisahkan peranan peguam negara dan pendakwa raya sebelum tamat penggal Parlimen.
Pada 13 Sept 2021, pentadbiran Ismail yang kekurangan majoriti Parlimen yang kukuh, telah menandatangani MoU dengan PH, yang ketika itu pembangkang.
Di bawah MoU itu, kerajaan bersetuju tidak membubarkan Parlimen sebelum 31 Julai 2022, manakala PH bersetuju menyokong atau berkecuali dalam pengundian Belanjawan 2022 dan rang undang-undang pembekalan serta tidak menyokong usul membawa undi tidak percaya. - FMT
Chief Secretary Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar says they must ensure essential government functions remain operational in the event of disruptions.
Chief Secretary Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said ministries had been instructed to improve inter-agency coordination and information sharing, among others, to ensure swift reactions to threats. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: All government ministries and agencies have been directed to review their business continuity plans to ensure essential services can continue in the event of disruptions to critical infrastructure, says Chief Secretary Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
He said the directive followed a meeting he held with all ministry secretaries-general and heads of service this afternoon, in line with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s statement in Parliament this morning on national security preparedness.
“This is so that essential government functions can continue in the event of any disruption to communications, energy and transport systems and other critical facilities,” he said in a Facebook post.
Shamsul said it was the government’s responsibility to assess all threats amid growing global uncertainty and conflicts and strengthen its preparedness against online threats, sabotage, disinformation and supply chain disruptions.
He said ministries had also been instructed to improve inter-agency coordination and information sharing, clarify each party’s responsibilities, and strengthen planning and response capabilities to ensure swift responses to threats.
“It must be emphasised that national sovereignty and security will not be compromised under any circumstances,” he said.
In a report released earlier today, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) warned that AI adoption by hostile actors is “highly likely” to increase the scale and efficiency of their operations within the next two years, including ransomware attacks, social engineering and exploitation of vulnerabilities.
NCSC CEO Richard Horne said new technologies are set to expose weaknesses in cybersecurity systems at “unprecedented speed and scale” in the years ahead and urged organisations to address underinvestment and strengthen their defences. - FMT
Top detective Asep Safrudin identified the suspects by their initials, LSP, ASN and EH, saying they were being investigated for allegedly tapping the phone of president Prabowo Subianto.
Indonesian media believe Listyo Sigit Prabowo may be among the three suspects arrested over the alleged tapping of president Prabowo Subianto’s phone. (AFP pic)
JAKARTA: Indonesian authorities have arrested three people for allegedly tapping president Prabowo Subianto’s phone, police said Tuesday, with media reports suggesting one of the suspects may be a senior official.
Prabowo, who took office in 2024, has come under increasing pressure for his government’s handling of the economy and destructive wildfires in the Southeast Asian archipelago.
Top detective Asep Safrudin identified the suspects only by their initials, LSP, ASN, and EH, and said they were under investigation for allegedly tapping “the telephone number of the president of the Republic of Indonesia” and other prominent figures.
The other alleged victims include government officials and politicians, journalists, NGO representatives and businesspeople.
Asep said numbers including Prabowo’s were “tapped without any legal basis or without any investigative or inquiry process in accordance with applicable laws”.
A police officer who became aware of the alleged crime filed a report on Friday, Asep told reporters in Jakarta.
Since then, police have examined 10 witnesses and three expert witnesses and seized evidence in the form of 11 mobile phones, an iPad and four flash drives.
If convicted, the suspects could face up to 10 years in prison.
In a separate news conference, justice minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra identified LSP as an active general.
Indonesian media said it was thought to be Listyo Sigit Prabowo – no relation to the president – who was appointed his chief of staff a month ago, after serving as national police chief for five years.
PKR vice-president Roland Engan says Sarawakians want leaders and political parties capable of working together, respecting differences and prioritising the common good.
Sarawak PKR chief Roland Engan warned that the state’s future should not be monopolised by any political party or group.
PETALING JAYA: The door to political cooperation must always remain open, states a PKR leader, after Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) said it will not entertain any proposal for an alliance with any peninsula-based party in the coming state election.
PKR vice-president Roland Engan said any political party that shuts the door on cooperation, rejects dialogue or refuses to consider working with others simply because of political differences is displaying a narrow-minded and immature attitude.
“I wish to emphasise that the door to political collaboration in Sarawak must always remain open in the interests of the people and the state’s future.
“No party should consider itself so powerful that it does not need the cooperation of others,” he said in a statement.
While Roland did not specify who his remarks were directed at, they came a day after GPS spokesman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said cooperation between parties at the federal level did not automatically translate into electoral partnerships in Sarawak.
Karim pointed out that GPS chairman Abang Johari Openg had already stated the coalition would contest all 82 seats in Sarawak.
The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu information chief said GPS wanted to avoid an arrangement that would leave the state reliant on West Malaysia-based parties for major decisions, potentially requiring the approval of their national leadership.
Roland, who is also the state PKR chief, said Sarawakians want leaders and political parties capable of working together, respecting differences and prioritising the common good.
“We may belong to different parties, subscribe to different ideologies and hold different opinions, but we remain brothers and sisters as the people of Sarawak,” he said.
He also warned that the state’s future should not be monopolised by any political party or group.
“Instead, it should be built through the participation, cooperation and commitment of all parties,” he said, adding that parties that refused to cooperate with others risked losing the trust and support of the people.
“As a state rich in racial, religious, cultural and political diversity, Sarawak should serve as an example of democratic maturity, tolerance and unity among its people,” Roland said.
The Sarawak legislative assembly was dissolved on Oct 26, paving the way for the 13th state election to be held within the next 60 days. - FMT
WALK into many restaurants in Malaysia today and you may find a robot delivering your food. Businesses such as Q-Bistro, Johnny’s, Mamak Xpress and OldTown White Coffee have introduced robot waiters, partly to address labour shortages and manage operating costs.
But do these machines replace people, or simply change the kind of work businesses need? Our view is that they do the latter. For business leaders, the question is no longer whether robots will enter the workforce, but how, where and at what cost.
The trend is global. At the World Robot Conference in Beijing in August 2026, companies showcased humanoid robots designed for customer service, household assistance and other applications.
Some featured conversational abilities and human-like expressions, raising questions about how people will respond to machines that increasingly resemble us.
The rise of the robot workforce
(Image: Unsplash/Enchanted Tools)
Service robots can deliver food, guide customers and perform other routine tasks. Rental schemes have also made adoption more accessible to businesses that may not want to make a large upfront investment.
Media reports in 2022 put the purchase price of some units at around RM35,000, while monthly rentals ranged from RM1,500 to RM2,000. These are historical figures, however, and current prices should be checked with suppliers.
Yet robots remain limited by the tasks they are designed to perform. In hotels and restaurants, they typically handle deliveries and other repetitive duties.
Human workers remain essential for personalised service, resolving complaints and managing unexpected situations.
What robots do well, and where they fall short
Robots can offer consistency, efficiency and reliable performance when carrying out repetitive tasks. They can also reduce the physical demands placed on workers, particularly in busy restaurants, hotels and hospitals.
However, the novelty of robotic service does not necessarily translate into customer loyalty.
Our 2025 study, published in Electronic Markets, examined responses from 308 restaurant customers who had experienced non-humanoid service robots.
It found that factors such as novelty, enjoyment, friendliness and trust contribute to customer satisfaction and intentions to revisit.
However, these experiences are shaped by the quality of the interaction, including the sense of rapport customers develop with the robot.
A robot may deliver food efficiently and greet customers politely, but it cannot replicate the warmth and empathy of an attentive human server.
If it tries too hard to imitate human behaviour, its friendliness may even feel artificial. Customers ultimately expect robots to perform their tasks reliably.
Robots also face practical limitations. They may struggle with unexpected situations such as spilled drinks, complaints or changes to orders.
Fixed navigation routes can cause congestion during peak hours, while limited conversational abilities make it difficult to respond sensitively to customers’ needs.
Matching robots to the right tasks
(Image: Pexels/Kenneth Surillo)
For businesses, the challenge is to identify where automation supports their service model.
Quick-service restaurants can use food-delivery robots to reduce repetitive work and staff fatigue. Hotels can deploy them for luggage delivery and routine cleaning, while hospitals can use them to transport supplies or guide visitors
However, tasks requiring empathy, negotiation, discretion and personal judgement should remain firmly in human hands. The objective is not to automate everything, but to assign the right tasks to the right capabilities.
Businesses adopting robots should treat them as support tools rather than automatic replacements for employees. They should:
Identify suitable tasks: Prioritise repetitive, physically demanding duties where automation can improve efficiency.
Consider the business model: High-volume restaurants may benefit more than establishments built around personalised service.
Look beyond novelty: Measure whether robots improve service quality and encourage repeat visits, rather than relying on customers’ initial excitement.
Retrain employees: Equip staff to supervise robots, troubleshoot problems and focus on higher-value customer interactions.
Monitor feedback: Assess whether customers and employees find the technology useful and whether it delivers genuine operational benefits.
A changing workforce, not a disappearing one
Some repetitive tasks and the jobs built around them may shrink as automation expands. However, businesses facing recruitment difficulties can also use robots to fill gaps and ease pressure on existing employees.
This does not mean workers should be displaced without consideration. Staff can be trained to oversee robotic systems, handle customer concerns and take on responsibilities requiring flexibility and emotional intelligence.
Robots are here to stay, but that does not mean human workers are becoming irrelevant. A well-designed robot can make service more efficient; a capable human worker can make the experience memorable.
For managers, the real challenge is to build workplaces where technology complements human capabilities rather than simply replacing them.
Prof Dr Dilip S. Mutum is a Professor of Marketing at the School of Business, Monash University Malaysia and Assoc Prof Dr Ezlika Mohd Ghazali is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the Faculty of Business and Economics, Universiti Malaya.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT
