Thanks PM, but people want something more concrete
According to the state government's news portal Buletin Mutiara, he urged the federal government to implement more sustainable long-term policies to support the rakyat, despite operating under tight fiscal constraints.
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New Straits Times
26 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Corporate Malaysia backs Sejahtera Madani with RM120mil, surpassing target
KUALA LUMPUR: Corporate Malaysia has stepped up in a big way to support the government's mission to eradicate poverty, with 38 companies collectively contributing close to RM120 million to the Sejahtera Madani Fund—a national initiative aimed at uplifting poor and hardcore poor households registered under the eKasih National Poverty Database. The fund, launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last week, exemplifies a whole-of-nation commitment to targeted poverty eradication and sustainable socio-economic upliftment, having already more than doubled its initial RM50 million target. Among the top contributors is the Weststar Group, leading with a RM15 million donation. Other key corporate giants such as YTL Corporation Bhd, Berjaya Corporation Bhd, MMC Corporation Bhd, Genting Bhd, DRB-Hicom Bhd, and Tradewinds Group (M) Sdn Bhd/Yayasan AlBukhary each pledged RM10 million, demonstrating strong private sector commitment to national development goals. Other notable contributors include Sapura Secured Technologies with RM3 million and Yayasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Islam Malaysia with RM2.61 million. A wide range of companies have also pledged between RM1 million and RM500,000, reflecting diverse industry participation across infrastructure, healthcare, logistics, and property sectors. These include Malaysia Resources Corporation Bhd, Yinson Holdings Bhd, WCT Bhd, Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd, S P Setia Bhd, SD Guthrie Bhd, and ITMAX System Bhd. Smaller but meaningful contributions were also received from FGV Holdings Bhd (RM150,000), Farm Fresh Bhd, Pharmaniaga Bhd, YHA Travel and Tours, and Darul Fikir, each contributing RM100,000—demonstrating that companies of all sizes are participating in this national effort. Beyond financial contributions, several companies have launched parallel programmes to support economic resilience. Telekom Malaysia pledged RM10 million for a Digital Entrepreneurship Programme, Grab Malaysia introduced a RM5 million Economic Empowerment Initiative, while Prudential BSN Takaful committed RM3 million to expand its Microtakaful Jariyah (MTJ) programme. National champions Petronas and Khazanah Nasional Bhd have also been appointed strategic partners of the fund, ensuring sustainability and institutional backing. The Sejahtera Madani Fund reflects a powerful synergy between government policy and private sector commitment, aimed at driving inclusive and sustainable development. Beyond delivering targeted aid to vulnerable communities, the fund supports long-term economic empowerment through initiatives focused on entrepreneurship, micro-insurance, and digital inclusion. The strong response from corporate Malaysia underscores a growing recognition of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) responsibilities—and highlights the evolving role of businesses as key partners in shaping the nation's socioeconomic future.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Politics and irony
OVER the past weekend, Kuala Lumpur witnessed the return of something once synonymous with Malaysian resistance politics – a street protest. The "Turun Anwar" rally, as it was called, gathered Malaysians unhappy with the current state of the country under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
UK's semiconductor design giant Arm may train 10,000 Malaysian engineers over a decade
SUBANG JAYA: A total of 10,000 local engineers are expected to be trained over the next decade under a landmark initiative by UK-based semiconductor design giant Arm and Advanced Semiconductor Academy of Malaysia (ASEM). The Arm On-Demand training programme is aimed at building Malaysia's high-tech talent pipeline and accelerating its position in the global semiconductor industry. It is designed to equip Malaysian engineers with advanced skills in semiconductor design and development, particularly in front-end integrated circuit (IC) design. The initiative aligns with the country's broader ambition to transition from traditional assembly roles towards innovation-led activities such as chip design, intellectual property (IP) creation and advanced R&D. Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the programme aims to create a new generation of future-ready professionals who can design chips, build companies, and compete on the world stage. "This is more than just training, it's about creating future-ready professionals who can design chips, build companies, and compete globally," Amirudin said at the launch here today. The programme targets 1,000 participants annually, with the first batch of 400 engineers already enrolled and each course typically spans three to four months and features intensive, industry-relevant modules. Amirudin said Selangor is working with 20 universities including Monash University Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) through their respective engineering faculties. The event was also attended by key figures including Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong, Selangor exco for investment, trade and mobility Ng Sze Han and Monash University Malaysia president and pro vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman. Industry players including Arm and MyStorage are also involved with graduates from earlier pilot cohorts have already received multiple job offers, with companies actively selecting top-performing candidates for employment. To ensure the programme's sustainability and impact, the Selangor state government has committed between RM5 million and RM10 million annually to support front-end semiconductor development. Meanwhile, the government - through the Economy MInistry - has increased its support from RM60 million to RM100 million, signalling strong national-level confidence in the initiative with total investments projected to exceed RM100 million over the next decade. Amirudin believes that the broader goal is to move Malaysia and Selangor in particular up the semiconductor value chain, shifting from traditional roles in assembly and packaging toward becoming a hub for chip design, IP creation and advanced R&D. "We must move towards owning the intellectual property so that these chips are not just labelled 'Assembled in Selangor', but 'Designed in Selangor', 'Made in Malaysia'," said Amirudin. He added that as global protectionism rises and old economic models break down, Malaysia must position itself as a creator not just a manufacturer of technology. "We can no longer afford to be a bit-part player in an industry that will shape the world economy for the next 30 years." Amirudin also said the ambitions will be detailed in Selangor Plan 2, set to be launched next year. He expressed confidence that semiconductor and E&E engineering will be prioritised under the upcoming 13th Malaysia Plan, to be announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on July 31.
