Outgoing firms aware of KL Tower change since July 2024, says govt

 

The communications ministry asked all parties in the dispute over the operations of KL Tower to give room for the legal process to proceed smoothly.

PETALING JAYA: 

Menara Kuala Lumpur Sdn Bhd and Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd were aware of the looming change in the management of Kuala Lumpur Tower since July 2024, says the communications ministry.

The ministry said the Hydroshoppe-owned Menara Kuala Lumpur was already made aware about the change in operational management after signing a fifth interim extension to its concession which started on July 1, 2024.

In a list of frequently asked questions concerning the issue, it also said KL Tower staff working under the company Menara Kuala Lumpur will be unaffected by the change in management.

“All KL Tower workers have been guaranteed by the government that they would be offered jobs by the new management, LSH Service Master Sdn Bhd,” it said.

The ministry said this would be based on the “no less favourable” principle, and that this was outlined in the concession agreement signed by the government and LSH Service Master.

LSH Service Master is a joint venture between LSH Best Builders Sdn Bhd and Service Master Sdn Bhd. The former is a subsidiary of Lim Seong Hai Capital Bhd (LSH Capital).

In a statement, the ministry urged parties involved in the dispute over the operations of the iconic tower not to do anything that would disrupt the legal process, since a case was before the court.

It reiterated that KL Tower belonged to the government and that the transfer of the concession to manage the skyscraper and its surrounding areas had gone through an open tender, in line with the Cabinet’s decision.

It also said the winning bidder had already been announced by the government in May 2024.

“The ministry acknowledges the writ of summons and injunction application filed by Menara Kuala Lumpur following the appointment of the new concessionaire.

“The government, through this ministry, will ensure that any action taken would be in line with legal processes. Therefore, the ministry asks all parties to give room for the legal process to proceed smoothly.

“All parties involved, including the public, are advised against making statements or actions that can disrupt the ongoing legal process,” it said.

This comes just as Hydroshoppe and Menara Kuala Lumpur are to hold a press conference at 11pm at KL Tower’s entrance over the issue.

Last week, LSH Service Master signed a 20-year lease agreement with the federal lands commissioner, effective from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2045.

Hydroshoppe and Menara Kuala Lumpur filed a lawsuit to challenge the award of the concession, seeking RM20.13 million in losses and damages and for the concession to be transferred to them.

They claim there was an existing “understanding” pertaining to the tower’s management, and that LSH Capital had “induced a breach” of a contract they had agreed to with Putrajaya in August 2022.

The two companies also claimed that they are set to be evicted from the tower at midnight tonight by the police and Kuala Lumpur City Hall, contending that their eviction would be unlawful since there was a suit pending in court.

LSH Capital has said it was not privy to any prior agreement or discussion between the government and the two companies, and would continue to fulfill its obligations under the 20-year agreement. - FMT

Malaysian embassy in Bangkok reopens tomorrow

 

The Malaysian embassy in Bangkok occupies the 17th floor of the Kronos Office Tower on Sathorn Road. (Facebook pic)

BANGKOK: 

The Malaysian embassy in Bangkok will resume operations tomorrow after its building was temporarily sealed by authorities for a safety assessment, following the earthquake in Myanmar that triggered tremors in Thailand last Friday.

The embassy occupies the 17th floor of the Kronos Office Tower on Sathorn Road, which was sealed by authorities after the tremors hit Bangkok

Malaysia’s ad interim chargé d’affaires to Thailand, Bong Yik Jui, said the office building has been inspected by certified engineers and confirmed to be structurally safe and damage-free.

“With the reopening of the Kronos Office Tower, the embassy will resume operations as usual tomorrow,” he told Bernama. The office was closed today in conjunction with the Aidilfitri celebrations.

Last Friday, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region at about 1pm local time, followed by a second tremor measuring magnitude 6.4.

The earthquake caused tremors in Thailand’s capital and has so far claimed 18 lives, while dozens remain missing. - FMT

No lessons learnt: Hindu temple row leaves only a bitter aftertaste

 

THE stark reality that emerged from the Hindu temple row is that when it comes to religion, the Malays will close ranks—be they in the government or the opposition.

Religion is the one issue that can make or break the career of a politician aspiring to climb the slippery totem pole of power.

Other national issues can take the backseat as they do not carry as much weight and importance as matters that touch the spiritual realm.

When it comes to fighting for your faith, all people, from the humblest to the most high, will immediately answer the call to defend their sacred ground.

Politicians know very well that the most effective sure-fire way to strike a chord is to play up a sensitive topic.

When emotions are whipped up through the roof, that’s the moment for politicians to don their shining armour and lead the charge to the frontline.

However, using the weapons of religion to burnish your credentials is a cheap way to garner instant support and overnight fame.

But that’s how things are in Malaysia. Politicians are always on the prowl looking for any sensitive issue with a religious slant to exploit and fan into a bigger flame.

The matter may be insignificant but the bigots will promptly make a mountain out of a molehill and ceaselessly sound the alarm throughout the nation.

People will rush to the barricade in the belief that the status of their religion has been challenged and must be repulsed. It has become a matter of life-and-death.

How then can this trend be reversed? Impossible! As long as the doctrine of racial supremacy is preached and practised, the country will always be sitting on a tinderbox.

Malay-based political parties, whether in the government or outside the arena, are all united in their fight against outsiders if the latter are perceived trying to dip their fingers into their religious affairs.

PAS, PKR, Bersatu and UMNO may be political enemies but when it comes to religion, they bury their hatchet and join forces to face the outsiders.

The “war cry” that is most often heard is “don’t think the Malays are weak”, which carries a dark warning that they can go on the offensive if they are provoked beyond endurance.

Are there any lessons to be drawn from the Hindu temple episode? None. It left only a bitter aftertaste to those whose hope of seeing the 130-year-old temple stay intact demolished.

Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist.

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

- Focus Malaysia.

Family of seven stranded at Lata Batu Hampar falls due to water surge

 

IPOH: A family of seven were trapped at the Lata Batu Hampar waterfall in Kuala Kangsar due to a headwater surge.

A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said they received a call at 3.54pm on Monday (March 31).

He said the rescue team had to start using a multi-purpose vehicle to reach the victims 1.2km from the site as the route was inaccessible to heavy machinery.

The victims, aged from 10 to 45 years old were found safe.

"The operations chief instructed team members to use ropes anchored to two trees to cross a river approximately 3m wide and 1.2m deep.

"All victims crossed the river wearing life jackets and were escorted to safety by the rescue team before being handed over to the police," he said in a statement. - Star

Pakistan’s investments in Malaysia rise to US$397mil

 

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaking with his Pakistani counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif, in a phone call this evening. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

Pakistan’s investments in Malaysia have risen to US$397 million, or about RM1.76 billion, according to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Following a phone call with his Pakistani counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif, this evening, Anwar said he welcomed further investments from Pakistan, particularly in the agriculture, petrochemical, and biomass sectors.

In a Facebook post, he also said Shehbaz would be making his first visit to Malaysia on May 9.

“We also reviewed key areas of collaboration, including trade, education, and research, and agreed to expedite pending matters to advance our shared goals.

“Our discussion also touched on the ongoing crisis in Gaza, as Israel’s violations of the ceasefire continue to undermine peace efforts. We exchanged views and coordinated efforts to support Gaza’s reconstruction and end the violence against Palestinians,” he said.

Anwar made a three-day visit to Pakistan last October, where he reportedly secured RM2.65 billion in potential trade deals for Malaysia.

In November, Malaysian high commissioner to Pakistan, Azhar Mazlan said Malaysia’s chip sector has garnered the interest of Pakistani investors.

This is said to be among new areas of collaboration that the two nations are looking at. - FMT

Myanmar declares week of mourning as quake toll passes 2,000

 

Patients lay on gurneys in the hospital car park, many with only a thin tarpaulin rigged up to shield them from the fierce tropical sun. (AFP pic)

MANDALAY: 

Myanmar declared a week of national mourning on Monday for the country’s devastating earthquake, as the death toll passed 2,000 and hopes faded of finding more survivors in the rubble of ruined buildings.

National flags will fly at half-mast until April 6 “in sympathy for the loss of life and damages” from Friday’s massive 7.7-magnitude quake, the ruling junta said in a statement.

The announcement came as the tempo and urgency of rescue efforts wound down in Mandalay, one of the worst-affected cities and the country’s second-largest, with more than 1.7 million inhabitants.

“The situation is so dire that it’s hard to express what is happening,” said Aung Myint Hussein, chief administrator of Mandalay’s Sajja North mosque.

People camped out in the streets across Mandalay for a third successive night, either unable to return to ruined homes or nervous about the repeated aftershocks that rattled the city over the weekend.

Some had tents but many, including young children, simply bedded down on blankets in the middle of the roads, trying to keep as far from buildings as possible for fear of falling masonry.

The junta said on Monday that the death toll has risen to 2,056, with more than 3,900 people injured and 270 still missing.

Three Chinese nationals are among the dead, China’s state media said, along with two French people, according to the foreign ministry in Paris.

At least 19 deaths have been confirmed hundreds of kilometres away in Thailand’s capital Bangkok, where the force of the quake caused a 30-storey tower block under construction to collapse.

However, with communications down in much of Myanmar, the true scale of the disaster has yet to emerge and the death toll is expected to rise significantly.

Outdoor hospital

Mandalay’s 1,000-bed general hospital has been evacuated, with hundreds of patients being treated outside.

Patients lay on gurneys in the hospital car park, many with only a thin tarpaulin rigged up to shield them from the fierce tropical sun.

Relatives did their best to comfort them, holding hands or waving bamboo fans over them.

“This is a very, very imperfect condition for everyone,” said one medic, who asked to remain anonymous.

“We’re trying to do what we can here. We are trying our best.”

The sticky heat has exhausted rescue workers and accelerated body decomposition, which could complicate identification.

But, traffic began returning to the streets of Mandalay on Monday, and restaurants and street vendors resumed work.

Hundreds of Muslims gathered outside a destroyed mosque in the city for the first prayer of Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that follows the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

Humanitarian crisis

The challenges facing the Southeast Asian country of more than 50 million people were immense even before the earthquake.

Myanmar has been ravaged by four years of civil war sparked by a military coup in 2021, with its economy shattered and healthcare and infrastructure badly damaged.

The World Health Organization declared the quake a top-level emergency as it urgently sought US$8 million to save lives and prevent disease outbreaks over the next 30 days.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has launched an appeal for more than US$100 million to help victims.

International aid and rescue teams have been arriving after junta chief Min Aung Hlaing made an exceptionally rare appeal for foreign assistance.

In the past, isolated Myanmar’s ruling generals have shunned foreign assistance, even after major natural disasters.

Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun thanked key allies China and Russia for their help, as well as India, and said the authorities were doing their best.

“We are trying and giving treatment to injured people and searching for missing ones,” he told journalists.

But, reports have emerged of the military carrying out air strikes on armed groups opposed to its rule, even as Myanmar grapples with the quake’s aftermath.

One ethnic minority armed group told AFP on Sunday that seven of its fighters were killed in an aerial attack soon after the quake, and there were reports of more air strikes on Monday.

Myanmar’s raging civil war, pitting the military against a complex array of anti-coup fighters and ethnic minority armed groups, has displaced around 3.5 million people.

In Bangkok, diggers continued to clear the vast pile of rubble at the site of the collapsed building.

Officials say they have not given up hope of finding more survivors in the wreckage, where 12 deaths have been confirmed and at least 75 people are still unaccounted for. - FMT