13MP: New Special Tourism Investment Zones in four states
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this will involve collaboration between the federal government, state governments, the private sector, and cooperatives.
"These zones will serve as catalysts for the creation of new tourism products, including those based on artistic, cultural, and heritage assets as well as natural attractions."
He cited the Sungai Batu Civilisation site in Kedah, Lenggong Valley, and Niah Caves, all recognised by Unesco, as examples of natural attractions.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
42 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah: RM410mil disbursed in Sabah under Phases 1 and 2
KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly 830,000 recipients in Sabah have benefited from the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) programme so far, with RM410 million disbursed under Phase 1 and Phase 2 payments. Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in a written parliamentary reply last night, said the remaining two STR phases are scheduled to be disbursed in August and November. He added that 506,000 recipients in the state have also been approved under the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programme, which comes with an annual allocation of RM500 million. "Sabah recorded the highest MyKad usage for Sara purchases, with 95 per cent of recipients already making purchases at registered premises," he said. Anwar was responding to Vivian Wong Shir Yee (PH–Sandakan), who queries number of eligible Sara recipients in Sabah and how many had redeemed the assistance so far. Anwar also said more than 4,500 grocery stores and supermarkets nationwide are now registered under the programme, a significant jump from just 700 last year. "In line with the rising number of recipients, the number of participating business premises under Sara has also seen a marked increase. "In Sabah alone, more than 470 premises have registered, and this number will continue to grow to ensure broader access in all areas. He said the government remains committed to ensuring its cash aid programmes reach those most in need, especially in the face of rising living costs. "The government has raised the allocation for the STR and Sara programmes to a record RM13 billion, compared with RM10 billion previously. "This increase continues to benefit nearly nine million recipients, or about 60 per cent of the country's adult population," he said. On July 23, Anwar, who is also the prime minister, announced that all Malaysians aged 18 and above will receive a one-off RM100 assistance through their MyKad under the Sara programme. He said the aid, which can be used from Aug 31 until Dec 31, is meant for the purchase of essential goods at over 4,100 outlets nationwide, including major supermarkets such as Mydin, Lotus's, Econsave and 99 Speedmart, as well as retail stores in all districts.
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
MyKad or full price: Targeted RON95 subsidy plans to be unveiled by end-Sept, says MoF
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 — The Ministry of Finance (MoF) said the detailed implementation plans for targeted subsidies for RON95 petrol will be announced by end-September 2025, in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's statement on July 23, 2025. In a written parliamentary reply, MoF said the government is actively developing and testing the subsidy targeting mechanism to ensure smooth execution upon rollout. 'This includes refining data from agencies such as the National Registration Department, Road Transport Department (JPJ), and the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM),' it said. 'The government aims to adopt a more comprehensive approach to ensure RON95 subsidies reach the intended target groups.' MoF was responding to a question from Hulu Langat Member of Parliament, Pakatan Harapan's Mohd Sany Hamzan, who asked for an update on the subsidy retargeting implementation, particularly the front-end and back-end phases announced by the Ministry of Economy. According to MoF, once implemented, the retargeted subsidy mechanism will allow eligible Malaysians to enjoy RON95 at RM1.99 per litre through MyKad verification. Non-citizens and those ineligible for the subsidy will pay the unsubsidised market rate. — Bernama
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Construction players likely to gain from 13MP
Construction workers are pouring and compacting concrete at a construction project site near Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.— MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star PETALING JAYA: The local construction sector is poised to benefit from the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), supported by higher total development expenditure of RM611bil. On July 31, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced a higher allocation of development expenditure for the construction sector to RM430bil. 'Although only RM430bil will be financed by the government, it is still 8% higher than the RM400bil expenditure allocated to the 12MP,' said Maybank Investment Bank Research (Maybank IB). On that note, Maybank IB said the higher spending plan could translate into a greater number and value of contracts to be awarded over the next five years. The research house noted that the previous increase in development spending under the 12MP, which was 54% higher than the 11MP, had already led to a meaningful rise in infrastructure job flows. 'Thus, we believe the 13MP is positive for the Malaysian construction industry,' it stated. While the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit 3 (KVMRT3) was not mentioned in the 13MP, ports appeared as the megaprojects under the new masterplan. This came as a surprise for Maybank IB, given the optimism surrounding the project just two weeks prior. It is worth noting that KVMRT1 and KVMRT2 yielded large-scale job opportunities valued at RM21bil and RM31bil, respectively. On a brighter note, capital expenditure for the Carey Island cargo port is estimated at RM28bil until 2060, while the Westports 2 expansion is RM12.6bil over the next 30 years. The Port of Tanjung Pelepas expansion is projected at RM4.9bil. 'We estimate that they could avail a whopping RM45.5bil worth of jobs,' said the research house, adding that potential beneficiaries of the port megaprojects include Muhibbah Engineering (M) Bhd , IJM Corp Bhd and WCT Holdings Bhd . Other than ports, the 13MP also outlines potential projects involving water, flood mitigation, industrial parks, highways, roads and hospitals. These sectors form part of broader national plans, including the Water Sector Transformation Plan 2040 and the Flood Mitigation Plan. 'In our view, potential beneficiaries which are likely to benefit the most from the aforementioned projects are IJM, Gamuda Bhd and WCT. These three companies have the experience and expertise to construct most of the aforementioned infrastructure assets. 'We also flag Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd as a prime beneficiary of continued infrastructure investments in Sarawak,' said Maybank IB.
