LTAT Foundation launches 5 education initiatives for MAF personnel's children
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced the programmes, emphasising their role in enhancing education, skills, and welfare for military families.
The first initiative, the e-Perkasa SPM 2025 Programme, is a collaboration with Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). It provides free devices to 652 students attending schools outside military camps. Sponsors include BHIC AeroServices, BHPetrol, and Pernama.
The second programme, Sentuhan Elit SPM, targets 658 students from six camp-based schools (SDK). It offers intensive tuition, exam techniques, and career guidance.
For skills development, the Kemahiran Keluarga Tentera (K2T) initiative provides 22 short courses, including culinary and makeup training.
MAF personnel and their children can also receive RM3,000 sponsorships for TVET courses at MARA institutions. This effort is supported by Pharmaniaga and JPPKK.
The MADANI Education Savings Programme, in partnership with PTPTN, grants RM50 to 3,775 Year One students of serving military personnel via SSPN Prime accounts.
Lastly, the STEM Programme, developed with TalentCorp and USM, promotes science and technology education in military schools.
At the launch, CSR contributions totalling RM3.2 million were presented by Affin Bank, BHPetrol, and Kemalak Group.
Senior defence officials, including Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari and Army Chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, attended the event. - Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
Homebuyers redefine value amid shift in mindset
AT FIRST glance, Malaysia's residential property market may appear quiet, but beneath the surface, a meaningful transformation is under way: a fundamental shift in how Malaysians approach property ownership. Today's buyers are intentional, value-focused, and sharply attuned to economic signals. The optimism of past years has given way to a more measured mindset shaped by global volatility, domestic caution, and a widening disconnect between asking prices and buyer expectations. This is not a retreat from the market; it is a recalibration. Malaysians are still buying, but with greater purpose and scrutiny. Supply expands, buyer expectations refocus According to the Property Market Q1'25 Snapshots by National Property Information Centre (Napic), residential construction jumped by 30.2% year-on-year (YoY), an expression of developer confidence. Yet, transaction volume and value fell 6.2% and 8.9%, respectively, highlighting a growing misalignment between supply and demand. This shift is not rooted in economic weakness. With policy interest rate steady at 3% and inflation down to 1.4% in April, Malaysia's fundamentals remain stable. But instead of acting on optimism, buyers are choosing caution. It is a clear signal: affordability today is no longer just about price; it's measured by perceived value. Bridging the price gap through buyer alignment Differences between current residential offerings and evolving buyer preferences are becoming more noticeable across key regions. In Kuala Lumpur, high-rise homes took the biggest hit, with prices dropping 7.3% quarter-on-quarter, which was the steepest decline among property types. According to Napic, overhang grew 14.8% year-on-year, with unsold units mostly being condominiums priced between RM200,000 to RM300,000. However, data from PropertyGuru Malaysia for April 2025 indicates that the condominium market is stabilising towards an equilibrium, showing only a slight month-on-month decrease in demand of 0.7% for condo-miniums. Selangor, meanwhile, tells a different story. According to Napic data, the price gap is widening in the apartment and serviced residence segments, but savvy buyers remain active when value aligns with expectations. Overhang fell nearly 40% year-on-year, signalling strong movement in well-priced, practical homes. Across most segments, caution dominates mark-to-market activity amid ongoing economic uncertainty. Penang continues to attract attention, especially in the condominium segment. PropertyGuru Malaysia's April 2025 data showed a 9.1% increase in condominium listing views, driven by infrastructure developments such as the LRT Mutiara Line. However, Napic data indicates a decline in transactions for homes priced above RM1 million, reflecting growing resistance to premium price points. Johor is shaping up as a market where rising prices are starting to test buyer patience. Napic reports an 8.7% year-on-year increase in high-rise prices for Q1'25. Correspondingly, PropertyGuru Malaysia's April 2025 data shows a 19.5% year-on-year decline in interest for serviced residences, with overall views for non-landed homes also trending downward. Like the non-landed property types, demand for landed property types also decreased YoY. The rise of the value-conscious buyer A dip in the demand index does not mean buyers have disappeared. In fact, they are just more selective. According to April 2025 data from PropertyGuru Malaysia, apartment views fell 14.1% while semi-detached homes dropped 21.4% year-on-year. Yet, property types that strike a smart balance between price, location, and lifestyle are defying the trend. Some even gain traction. 0 Selangor is a standout. Terraced homes continue to outperform, with demand rising 2.7% year-on-year and overhang falling 40%, according to Napic. This points to a healthy alignment between supply and real buyer appetite. 0 In Penang, condominium interest surged 9.1% year-on-year, buoyed by better connectivity and more competitive pricing, highlighting the positive impact of infrastructure upgrades like the upcoming LRT Mutiara Line. 0 Meanwhile, in Johor, the story is more nuanced. Napic data shows a 3.2% year-on-year increase in the All-Housing Price Index, led by high-rise and terraced homes. However, the price growth appears to be dampening sentiment, with declining demand suggesting that affordability concerns are weighing buyer decisions. These shifts tell us something important: buyers haven't exited the markedt. They are just more focused on finding real value. Developers are reimagining value in real time As buyers become more measured and data-driven, developers are also evolving their strategies to stay aligned. The traditional playbook of driving volume or focusing solely on premium segments is being rebalanced to meet a market increasingly shaped by value-conscious demand. Success now lies in realistic pricing, particularly in the resilient RM500,000 to RM800,000 bracket. Homes within this range continue to see steady interest, especially when paired with strong connectivity and well-designed, liveable environments. Transit-oriented developments and communities with integrated green spaces are emerging as long-term favourites among buyers. Equally important is understanding the new pace of decision-making. Buyers are being more deliberate, investing time in research, comparisons, and consultations before committing. In this era of intentional ownership, developers who align with value-driven demand through realistic pricing, livability, and accessibility are well-positioned to thrive. At PropertyGuru, we continue to support our partners with timely market insights and actionable data to help them better anticipate buyer behaviour, optimise offerings, and drive stronger outcomes across all segments. This article is contributed by PropertyGuru & iProperty country manager Malaysia, Kenneth Soh.
Barnama
8 hours ago
- Barnama
Kelantan TRW Vow To Settle Outstanding Salaries Of Former Players, Coaches This Season
REGION - EAST > NEWS KOTA BHARU, July 15 (Bernama) -- Salary arrears involving nearly 20 former players and coaches of Kelantan Darul Naim (KDN) FC have been guaranteed to be resolved within this season. President of Kelantan The Real Warriors (Kelantan TRW), Tan Sri Annuar Musa, said the arrears only involved three months, namely February, March and April of this year. He said the club also appealed to be given space to negotiate with the former players and coaches involved to expedite the settlement of the outstanding salaries. bootstrap slideshow 'Don't worry, all debts will be paid. We only ask for a chance to negotiate — if there are those who urgently need the money, we will try to accommodate. However, we are offering a win-win situation in which they agree to a reduction in the payment. 'If they agree to a discount, we can settle it by August. But if they refuse, that is their right. Without any discount, we will settle the arrears -- which amount to about RM300,000 -- within this season,' he said at a press conference here today. Earlier, Annuar confirmed that he had accepted the offer to serve as president of Kelantan TRW Football Club with immediate effect. Bernama reported on Sunday that the Kelantan TRW management had been given until today to resolve the salary arrears involving nearly 20 players and coaches from last season. -- BERNAMA
New Straits Times
9 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Umrah package firm, director charged for ignoring tribunal's RM232,000 award to consumers
KOTA KINABALU: A company offering umrah packages and its director were charged in the magistrates' court here today for failing to comply with a decision by the Tribunal for Consumer Claims Malaysia to award claims amounting to RM232,526.80 to six people. The company, Emraz Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, and its director, Datuk Zulkarnain Endut, 44, each face six charges under Section 117(1) of the Consumer Protection Act 1999, which carries a penalty of up to RM10,000, two years' imprisonment, or both, upon conviction. Zulkarnain, in his capacity as a director and on behalf of the company, pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Dzul Elmy Yunus after the charges were read out. According to the charge sheet, the company and Zulkarnain had allegedly committed the offences between July 2023 and January 2024 at the Sabah Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry in Jalan UMS, here, by failing to pay the awards ranging from RM24,666.80 to RM50,000 to six individuals, totalling RM232,526.80. The court fixed Sept 23 for pre-trial case management and allowed bail at RM1,000 for each charge, with a local surety. An additional condition was imposed requiring the accused to report to the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry's office in Putrajaya on the 17th of every month. Deputy public prosecutors from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, Shafiq Mahadi and Md Syafique Md Helmie, prosecuted while the accused was represented by counsel Farah Nazriah Chun Lee @ Mohd Fadzlee Lee. Earlier, Farah informed the court that another director of the company, Datin Mazuin Mustafa, who is also Zulkarnain's wife, was supposed to be charged today but was unable to attend due to a high-risk pregnancy that prevented her from travelling to Sabah. Farah said her condition had been confirmed by Putrajaya Hospital on June 20, and she applied for the warrant of arrest against Mazuin to be revoked, which was not opposed by the prosecution. Meanwhile, Shafiq informed the court that according to a letter from the hospital, the accused's wife is currently 11 weeks pregnant. The prosecution requested that the next case management to be fixed within two months, with the same date also intended to ascertain the status of the accused's wife regarding when she would be fit to travel to Sabah. The court was also informed that Zulkarnain is facing similar charges in various states across Malaysia, including Sabah, Sarawak, and Peninsular Malaysia. On July 8 2023, Bernama quoted Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing as saying that the ministry had suspended the licence of Emraz Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd for six months, effective July 10, 2023 until Jan 9, 2024. Lembaga Tabung Haji Lembaga Tabung Haji had also suspended the licence of the same company on April 2 in the same year in a move to protect the welfare of prospective haj pilgrims following public complaints about their umrah services.
