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Focus Malaysia
2 days ago
- Health
- Focus Malaysia
Only the elite can munch on apples while the poor can only nibble rambutan in the garden of Madani
AN apple a day keeps the doctor away is a well-known saying which many people take it literally to heart. They buy apples for their health-giving benefits and these fruits grace not only the tables of the ultra-rich but also among humble folks. A visit to the sick in hospital is invariably accompanied by a basketful of these green or red skin rinds. There are also the popular oranges—those bright reddish-yellow juicy citrus fruits which, your doctors will tell you, contain so much of vitamin C essential to maintaining your health. And don't forget those bunch of succulent, bulb-shaped fruits called grapes dressed up in green, purple or red that are the favourites in palatial homes and even simple abodes. They, too, are packed with numerous compounds that help you stay healthy Apples, oranges, and grapes have been on our dining tables since time immemorial and men, women and children have been enjoying them from the dawn of childhood to the sunshine of adulthood. Nowadays, people have even cultivated a taste for pears and avocados which, too, are packed with nutrients. But soon all these nourishing fruits will disappear from the tables of Malaysian homes because they will become too expensive. One political leader has decided that these mostly imported items must be taxed because they are all non-essential. The fruits are no longer regarded as necessary to keep you in good shape. The poor fruits have become the victims of a sales and service tax (SST) which is guaranteed to keep them out of reach of ordinary people. They can only salivate at the sight of these mouth-watering gifts of nature. Recall those happy times when homes would ring with the shouts of children as they tugged at their mothers. 'Mak, mak saya nak apple!' And when they saw the apple, see the joy and sparkle in their eyes as they lovingly nibbled its flesh. Today the same scene will be replayed in many homes but this time, the joy will be replaced with a tinge of sadness. 'Mak, mak, mana apple?' 'Tak ada apple, sayang. Sekarang buah itu mahal. Nah, ambil rambutan.' And so the child will sulk in the corner all because Uncle Anwar considers the fruit a luxury item and consumers must pay a higher price with the coming into force of the SST from July 1. (Editor's note: On June 26, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced that apples and oranges will be exempted from SST) But the ultra-rich will not feel the SST bite. All this while, so the story goes, the affluent have been getting away with consuming these fruits at no cost to their ultra-deep pockets, and so they must be made to bear the SST brunt. Will it be a big problem for them forking out some extra cash? No sweat! They will continue to sink their teeth into these now forbidden fruits in the garden of Madani. It will be an unpalatable sight indeed to see the elite class, including all the Cabinet ministers, feasting on apples, oranges and grapes on the table while the poor rakyat can only eat rambutan, langsat, duku, and mata kuching. ‒ June 27, 2025 Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image: Malay Mail/Firdaus Latif
Barnama
20-06-2025
- Business
- Barnama
SejaTi MADANI: Value-added Catfish Products Help Boost Community Income
PASIR SALAK, June 20 (Bernama) -- The Sejahtera Komuniti MADANI (SejaTi MADANI) programme has proven effective in strengthening the local economy, particularly for the urban poor and communities in rural and remote areas. Perak Menteri Besar's special officer for the Kampung Gajah state constituency, Khairul Azwan Harun, said that with a government grant of RM100,000 under the SejaTi MADANI initiative, the community of Kampung Makmur near Kampung Gajah here has achieved notable success through the production of value-added products derived from catfish farming in canvas ponds. "The Kampung Makmur community now has three main downstream products, namely catfish balls, cakes, and butter garlic herb fillets, all produced entirely by participants of the SejaTi MADANI programme. "This project not only generates income from fish farming but also imparts new knowledge and helps increase the income of local residents through the creation of downstream products," he told Bernama after launching the products under the SejaTi MADANI programme by the Kampung Makmur Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) at Pasir Salak Community College here today. He also reminded recipients of SejaTi MADANI funds to ensure that the allocations bring positive impact to the local community. "Participants must realise that the SejaTi MADANI programme, initiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is meant to help the community grow their economy," he said. Meanwhile, Kampung Makmur JPKK chairman Muhammad Fauzi Ahmad Shaharudin said the launch of the downstream products marked the continuation of the catfish farming project undertaken by the community in September last year. "Following the success of our catfish farming, we began a new chapter by developing downstream products, and a total of 17 JPKK members took part in an intensive training series at Pasir Salak Community College from May 21 to June 12," he said. He added that in addition to processing techniques, participants also received training in packaging, labelling, digital marketing, and accounting to ensure they not only produce quality goods but are also capable of managing and promoting their business effectively.
New Straits Times
20-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Shifting Gears in Southeast Asia: How Malaysia Went from Laggard to Contender
IF you want to understand who's really winning in Southeast Asia today, don't just glance at GDP charts or listen to upbeat investment roadshows. Instead, look beneath the surface - at the metrics that actually move the needle: trade agility, digital depth, and the machinery of governance. That's where the tectonic shifts are happening. And when you do, a clearer picture emerges: Singapore remains the regional oracle; Malaysia is sprinting ahead like a reformist insurgent; and Thailand, while trying to keep pace, is still caught in the weeds of structural drag. Let's start with Malaysia, because something is finally clicking. By mid-2025, Malaysia jumped 11 spots in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, climbing from 34th to 23rd out of 69 economies. That's not a statistical blip. It's Malaysia's best performance since 2020 and a clear sign that the gears of reform are beginning to turn in earnest. Economic performance? Fourth globally. Government efficiency? Up eight places. Business efficiency? Also up eight. And trade - often the acid test for middle-income economies? Malaysia now ranks 6th in the world, up 11 spots, powered by strong exports, broader market reach, and a healthy rebound in tourism. But this wasn't luck. According to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry, this surge is rooted in political will and a relentless focus on bureaucratic modernisation - over 1,000 reform initiatives under the Madani Economy framework. These include digitalisation of public services, procurement reform, accelerated investment approvals, and consolidation of regulatory functions across ministries. It's a serious attempt to make "ease of doing business" more than just a slogan. For a country long caught between ambition and inertia, this IMD jump is a rare data point of real traction - where trade statistics, policy clarity, and administrative muscle finally line up. Zoom out and the regional picture gets sharper. Singapore, as always, sets the bar. Despite slipping slightly to second place globally, it remains the gold standard in trade, digital governance, and institutional design. For a resource-scarce city-state, this dominance is less about size and more about orchestration, a blend of tech infrastructure, regulatory agility and long-term planning that continues to pay dividends. Thailand, by contrast, is moving, but unevenly. While its economic and business metrics nudged upward, its government efficiency fell by eight places, a sign that reform hasn't kept pace with rhetoric. Political volatility and fragmented policymaking continue to blunt the impact of what might otherwise be a promising digital and export agenda. But here's the real twist in the Southeast Asian playbook: 2025 isn't just about ports and factories anymore. It's about chips, clouds, and code. Digital competitiveness is now the new frontline. Singapore, predictably, leads again—ranked No. 1 globally with a fintech ecosystem plugged directly into regulatory sandboxes and digital identity rails. Malaysia isn't there yet, but it's laying the groundwork fast. With more than RM30 billion in digital investments from Google, Microsoft and ByteDance, and a slew of policies like the National AI Roadmap and sovereign cloud frameworks, Malaysia is quietly morphing into a regional data hub. Thailand is pushing hard to digitize 30 per cent of its GDP by 2030, leveraging AI in agriculture and cloud infrastructure but it's still playing catch-up. Governance, however, remains the X-factor. It's the difference between a country that moves and one that drifts. Singapore is still the masterclass its governance model is less about bureaucracy and more about choreography. Malaysia, to its credit, is catching on fast. Its eight-rank jump in government efficiency reflects more than just cosmetic tweaks; it marks a shift in how the public sector thinks about speed, coordination, and execution. Thailand, unfortunately, slipped in this category, held back by legacy systems and electoral churn that don't move fast enough for a digital economy. So what's the bigger story? It's that the race to the top in Southeast Asia is no longer just a regional contest. It's a systemic one. Competitiveness today isn't about who can export the most palm oil or assemble the cheapest smartphones. It's about who can export trust, reduce friction, digitise their bureaucracy and make infrastructure work at the speed of capital. Malaysia, after years of spinning its wheels, seems to have found traction. This year, it's the comeback kid. The challenge now is to maintain altitude to turn a reform moment into a reform movement. Because in this new Southeast Asia, the scoreboard doesn't wait. It updates in real time. And this time, Malaysia isn't just watching the scoreboard. It's finally part of the game that counts.
Sinar Daily
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Sinar Daily
AGC denies claims Anwar's pardon was invalid
Anwar had been granted a full pardon by the Pardons Board for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya, which convened on May 16, 2018. 03 Jun 2025 06:47pm Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim - Photo by Bernama KUALA LUMPUR - The Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) today denied that the pardon granted to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was invalid. In a statement, the AGC said this was because Anwar had been granted a full pardon by the Pardons Board for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya, which convened on May 16, 2018. "The AGC affirms that the 51st Meeting of the Pardons Board for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya was held on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, at 11 am at Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur. "The meeting was chaired by His Majesty the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V, and was also attended, among others, by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself, who was the Prime Minister at the time,' the AGC stated. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim - Photo by Bernama According to the statement, based on the advice of the Pardons Board, Sultan Muhammad V consented to the granting of a full pardon to Anwar, along with his immediate release, effective from the date of the Pardons Board meeting. The statement added that for the purpose of the meeting, the Attorney General had also provided a written opinion on the matter in accordance with Clause (9), Article 42 of the Federal Constitution for the Pardons Board's consideration. Therefore, the AGC refuted the remarks made by Dr Mahathir, in which the former Prime Minister publicly claimed that the pardon was invalid as it did not go through a proper Pardons Board proceeding. In this connection, the AGC views the matter seriously as it involves constitutional and institutional interests. "The AGC also emphasises that any statement that could mislead the public regarding the decision of the Pardons Board is completely inappropriate,' the statement said. - BERNAMA More Like This
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
ASEAN Summit a testament to regional unity and shared aspiration
KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, today expressed the nation's profound honour in hosting the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, describing the gatherings as a reflection of the region's collective commitment to peace, prosperity and partnership both within ASEAN and beyond. In his remarks during a Royal Luncheon held at Istana Negara in conjunction with the summits today, Sultan Ibrahim noted that the convening of the summits comes at a pivotal time amid growing global complexities. 'These summits come at a time of growing complexity in the world. It is my hope that ASEAN and its partners will continue to stand together in unity and mutual respect, to build a future that is inclusive, resilient, and forward-looking,' said Sultan Ibrahim. His Majesty also extended a warm welcome to all ASEAN leaders, as well as leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and China, underscoring Malaysia's commitment to fostering deeper regional and inter-regional ties. 'I wish all delegates fruitful deliberations and successful outcomes. May your time here further strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation that unite us. 'Once again, I warmly welcome you to Malaysia. Though Your Majesty, Your Highnesses and Excellencies may only be here briefly, I hope you will find time to enjoy our Malaysian hospitality,' His Majesty said. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was also present at the Royal Luncheon. Among the ASEAN leaders attending were Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao of Timor-Leste was also in attendance. From the GCC, the dignitaries included Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, and Omani Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Asaad bin Tarik al Said, as well as Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Farhan Al Saud, and United Arab Emirates Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi. China was represented by Premier Li Qiang. The 46th ASEAN Summit, which began yesterday at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, continues today with the 2nd ASEAN-GCC Summit and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit. These high-level dialogues bring together leaders from member states to deliberate on regional developments and chart the future direction of the regional grouping. The 46th ASEAN Summit is held under the ASEAN 2025 Chairmanship theme 'Inclusivity and Sustainability', and this year marks the fifth time Malaysia is chairing ASEAN, following its previous chairmanships in 1977, 1997, 2005 and 2015.
