Latest news with #NST
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
PM's fuel cut and RM100 aid hailed as lifeline by e-hailing drivers, consumers
KOTA BARU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's move to cut fuel prices and offer a one-off RM100 cash aid has been hailed as a lifeline by e-hailing drivers in Kelantan and consumer advocates, who say it brings much-needed relief amid mounting living costs. Full-time drivers Daniel, 27, Arif, 24, and Mustakim, 21, said every sen counts. "The RM100 may seem small to some, but for us, it goes a long way. It is a much needed boost that helps us keep going," Daniel told NST. Meanwhile, the Consumers Association of Kedah (Cake) praised the decision to reduce the price of subsidised RON95 petrol from RM2.05 to RM1.99 per litre under the new targeted subsidy mechanism. Its president, Yusrizal Yusoff, said the public now awaits clarity on who qualifies. "Those left out of the scheme may end up bearing market prices. For those who qualify, this is a vital lifeline — fuel is a basic necessity," he said. Daniel, a full-time e-hailing driver, said fuel is one of his biggest operational costs, alongside expenses for vehicle maintenance. Meanwhile, Arif said, "We hope this is just the beginning, and that more initiatives to support the rakyat, especially those in the gig economy, will follow." Mustakim, the youngest of three siblings, said he would use the RM100 to buy daily necessities for his home. "I'll get groceries for my mother's kitchen — especially sugar, milk, and vegetables," he said. () Among the initiatives are all Malaysians aged 18 and above will receive a one-off RM100 credit via their MyKad under the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programme and under a new targeted fuel subsidy mechanism, Malaysians will enjoy RON95 petrol at RM1.99 per litre. This is expected to benefit around 18 million drivers and riders, including youth and gig workers. Meanwhile, consumer activist Yusrizal said the association welcomed the government's announcement, describing it as a move that puts money back into the people's wallets through fuel savings. However, he urged the government to take a careful and inclusive approach when finalising the subsidy mechanism, warning that any missteps could trigger a domino effect that might unintentionally impact other sectors of the economy. The full details of the new subsidy mechanism are expected to be announced by the end of September. The initiatives are projected to benefit around 18 million vehicle users, including youths and gig economy workers. Commenting on the RM100 aid under the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programme which will be distributed to all adult Malaysians from Aug 31 to Dec 31, Yusrizal said it would provide immediate relief, particularly for the low and middle income groups. He advised recipients to use the aid wisely. "This one-off aid can at least help them purchase essential items. For many, this might feel like a routine form of assistance because they have received similar handouts before. But even so, it helps, even if only a little," he said. Yusrizal also welcomed the restructuring in electricity tariffs, which is expected to benefit 85 per cent of consumers starting this month. "The reduction is based on a restructuring of the tariff calculation. While it will lower the cost of living for most, those with high electricity usage may still see an increase due to certain unavoidable cost components. "Nonetheless, we welcome the move as a step towards easing the financial burden on the rakyat," he said.
CNA
21 hours ago
- Business
- CNA
Bus operator working to address drivers' concerns after strike, vows to keep Johor-Singapore services running
SINGAPORE: Cross-border bus operator Causeway Link (CW) is working to address the concerns raised by some of its drivers, following a wage strike on Monday (Jul 21) morning which left thousands of commuters temporarily stranded at Johor's Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex. In a statement on Tuesday (Jul 22), it confirmed that "a number" of its bus drivers went on strike, saying: "We take this matter seriously and recognise the importance of the issues being raised. "We want to reassure the public and our passengers that we are actively engaging with the relevant parties to address the situation and reach a constructive resolution." Malaysian media had reported that around 100 bus drivers went on strike on Monday morning over a pay dispute, affecting thousands of commuters who were making their way to Singapore. News outlet The New Straits Times (NST) said the industrial action was sparked due to a revised pay scheme which saw drivers lose between RM800 (US$189) and RM900 in monthly income, in addition to an increase in the number of daily trips to be taken from four to five. While Malaysian media reported that bus services had returned to normal on Tuesday morning, Causeway Link noted passengers had been affected by the strike. The operator also vowed that bus services between Singapore and Malaysia would continue to operate. "We are doing everything we can to minimise disruptions to our services and ensure that essential routes remain operational," it said. "We deeply regret any inconvenience caused to our passengers and appreciate your understanding during this time." On the concerns raised by the striking drivers, Causeway Link added: "We want to reassure the public and our passengers that we are actively engaging with the relevant parties to address the situation and reach a constructive resolution. "We are committed to maintaining open communication and a respectful working environment for all employees." It also acknowledged the "vital role" of its bus captains in delivering public transport services to the community. "We remain hopeful that through continued dialogue, we can resolve the matter in a manner that is fair and beneficial for everyone involved." Johor Public Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communications Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh told The Malay Mail news outlet on Tuesday that there were "no developments yet" as both sides were still at the discussion stage. Causeway Link had said on Monday that the disruption arose from a 'miscommunication concerning salary calculation matters with a group of drivers' and initially claimed that the concerns had been addressed. SOME COMMUTERS HAD TO WALK ACROSS CAUSEWAY Workers whom local media spoke to on Monday were caught off guard by the sudden long queues due to the strike. A check on the bus company's social media pages had showed no notice or updates regarding the disrupted bus services to Singapore. The situation forced some commuters to walk across the 1km-long Causeway from the BSI complex to Singapore to get to work on time. Members of the public also shared on social media photos and videos of long queues at the complex, while lengthy queues for buses to Singapore had already formed by 6.30am. Handal Indah is the company that runs the Causeway Link bus service between Singapore and Malaysia. According to CW's website, it operates several routes from Singapore to different destinations across Johor, including Johor Bahru, as well as within the state.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- General
- New Straits Times
#NST180years: From Jalan Riong and beyond
THE semester break of 1977 was unlike any other for me and three other journalism undergraduates from the then Institut Teknologi Mara (ITM). We stepped nervously into the building on Jalan Riong — Balai Berita — ready to begin our internship at the New Straits Times. It was a mixed bag of nerves and excitement. At last, we were about to put into practice the Five Ws and One H we'd drilled into our heads during our journalism class. Even more thrilling was the chance to meet the people behind the bylines whom we used to admire in the broadsheet editions of the NST — copies of which I used to fight over with my late father at breakfast. Each morning began at the desk of the late Pak Cik Dahari Ali, a stalwart figure whose big assignment book dictated the order of the day. If you were lucky, you'd be sent out with a photographer to cover a press conference or a human interest story. On slower days, you'd stay behind chasing follow-ups on the phone — or scour for "fillers", those small but vital stories that filled the blank corners of the newspaper. This was the pre-Google, pre-artificial intelligence. Before any assignment, for research, we had to sift through thick files bulging with newspaper clippings we had to pre-order from the library. The newsroom had its own pulse. Deadlines loomed large — stories had to be filed by 4pm as the subs prepared to "put the paper to bed." Around this hour, the atmosphere on the third floor often turned electric, sometimes even tense enough to make the air turn blue. One afternoon, returning from an assignment, I searched for a typewriter — a rare commodity in a newsroom teeming with deadlines. I spotted one and was midway through pounding out my intro when a booming voice shouted across the room: "So you're the one who &^! my typewriter!" That was the voice of Allington Kennard, one of the last of the English senior writers at the NST. It was both terrifying and hilarious in hindsight — a true newsroom baptism. That internship would become a rite of passage. By the time I did my second practical stint, I was relieved to find that NST had acquired new high-tech terminals called Atex — a forerunner to the laptops we now take for granted. Stories typed on Atex were sent directly to editors, sparing us the red-pencil fury of Pak Cik Dahari — or worse, the indignity of having your story skewered on the metal spike atop his desk. It's worth remembering that NST was a pioneer in newsroom technology. In fact, it was among the first media organisations in the region to implement Atex, and even The Telegraph in the United Kingdom reportedly requested to learn from its newsroom systems. That, undoubtedly, was a feather in NST's cap. A byline was a badge of honour. And true to NST tradition, when a reporter earned their first byline, the entire editorial floor had to be treated to a round of teh tarik. Mine was a shared byline — with the late Ishak Nengah and Kek Soo Beng — but it was a proud moment all the same. After graduation, we returned to NST, this time as full-time staffers. I was posted to the Penang bureau, located in a small, charming building along Light Street. Thanks to the strong ties between NST and the School of Mass Communications at ITM, many of us were fortunate to secure positions immediately after completing our studies. We had been well-prepared by an impressive roster of guest lecturers: NST's Chief Sub Editor Chandra Putra Laxsana taught us Layout and Design; Saad Hashim from Berita Harian trained us in Translation in Journalism; and Wan Hamid from the photo department guided us through the principles of photojournalism. Sadly, we missed out on sessions by the late Tan Sri Samad Ismail, who taught our seniors before his arrest under the Internal Security Act. The Penang bureau was a world of its own. In that tiny office, we'd queue behind the teleprinter, waiting for our turn for the operator, Cheng Kui, to punch in stories destined for the printing press. It was there I first encountered the word "flong" — the moulds used in printing — which were flown by Cessna across the channel to the factory in Seberang Prai. If one was lucky, there'd be a seat on the Cessna on its flight back to Kuala Lumpur. Court reporting in Penang was among the most exhilarating parts of the job. The courthouse was just a stone's throw away, and it had some of the most interesting cases mostly involving drug trafficking and murder. The court was considered the best training ground for any journalist. You had to capture every word, every nuance, without the help of a tape recorder. All you had were your ears, your shorthand and instincts. And if you are lucky, the court clerk would lend you the fact sheets. I usually looked forward to courtroom showdowns whenever deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Shafee Abdullah (now Tan Sri) and the late Karpal Singh made their appearance — their wit and sharp legal minds often lit up the proceedings. Their verbal sparring was riveting, sometimes bordering on theatrical. Those early court assignments in Penang proved invaluable training for trials far beyond Malaysian shores. Years later, I found myself reporting on high-profile cases such as the match fixing case in Stratford, a gruesome murder case in London's Old Bailey and Southwark Crown Court, and even further ashore from a court in Stockholm. My move to London happened during the NST's heyday — not as a journalist initially, but as the wife of a journalist. My husband, Wan Ahmad Hulaimi, had been tasked with opening the NST's London bureau. I was on no-pay leave, but journalism wasn't about to let me go that easily. This was another milestone for the NST — the opening of the London bureau marked a final separation from the Singapore Straits Times. The two media offices, under the same roof, was managed by Harry Miller until 1979. It was for 11 years that I was with the BBC Malay Service of the World Service, broadcasting live via shortwave to Malaysia until the service was eventually shut down. While radio brought its own thrill, my heart remained with print. Eventually, I joined the small but close-knit Malaysian press corps in London during the 1990s, a time when most major Malaysian media had correspondents based there. I returned to my first love, contributing regularly to the NST and was especially proud to be entrusted with columns like London Buzz, I Am Every Woman, and Postcard from Zaharah — each with a different lens into life abroad and life as a woman in journalism. As a correspondent, the job took me across the UK and beyond — not only covering official visits by ministers and royalty, but also pursuing deeply human stories: the aftermath of the MH17 tragedy, the achievements of Malaysians abroad and the shifting pulse of our diaspora. The NST had always given me that opportunity to seek out stories and share. But challenges abound. Working to tight deadlines — especially with the time difference — was just one. The digital revolution brought new tools, but also new pressures. As social media surged and ministers began tweeting their own stories, the role of the foreign correspondent changed dramatically. Journalism became a race against algorithms. The industry that had once relied on trust and legwork now demanded speed and virality. Post-Covid 19, financial constraints added another hurdle. For someone who'd spent nearly five decades in the profession, fighting to stay relevant became harder. All in all, from the days of cradling a phone between my shoulder and ear while pounding away at a clunky Remington taking stories from stringers, to filing stories on a smartphone still destined for the newsroom at Jalan Riong, it has been quite a journey worth cherishing.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
#NST180years: NST published my first management article
IN July 2001, the New Straits Times (NST) published my first management article in a book titled Towards Organisational & Personal Excellence: The Malaysian Experience. This milestone was not just a personal achievement, but also a testament to NST's enduring role as a platform that nurtures voices, inspires growth and shapes thought leadership in Malaysia. For years, I had been a regular contributor to NST's Letters to the Editor section. Yet, it was the management articles, especially the insightful series by Felix Abisheganaden, the revered public relations guru and journalist of the 1980s, that truly ignited my passion for writing. Abisheganaden's weekly column on Wednesday was more than an article, it was also a masterclass in leadership, communication and organisational excellence. So inspired was I that I created my very own scrapbook of all his articles. Every single one made me want to be like him even more. Such a treasured volume this was, a trove which I still refer to, cherishing the wisdom of a man I have never met but deeply respect. Motivated by Abisheganaden's example, I ventured into writing management articles myself. To see my work published alongside Malaysia's great management thinkers, namely Heera Singh, Benedict Morais, Josef Eby Ruin, Ang Seng Chai and Ranjit Singh Malhi, was both humbling and exhilarating. My articles, "Meeting Interview Requirement" and "Fostering Employee Relations" appeared in that 2001 collection, marking my formal entry into the realm of management discourse. This achievement was more than a personal triumph. It was a reflection of NST's commitment to nurturing talent and providing a platform for meaningful dialogue on organisational and personal development. The newspaper's polished editorial standards and dedication to quality journalism created fertile ground for writers like me to flourish. But NST's influence on my life went far beyond the printed page. The confidence and recognition I gained from that first published article propelled me into wider arenas. I have since represented Malaysia at numerous United Nations forums and international conferences, visiting countries such as India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. These engagements focused on critical themes like public relations, crisis communications, environmental, social and governance issues and youth empowerment. One of the most rewarding chapters has been my role with the World Youth Foundation, which had consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council. I served as the foundation's special adviser and international forum chairman for over 20 conferences held in Melaka. These forums united youth leaders and policymakers from around the world, fostering dialogues on sustainable development, peacebuilding and human rights. Reflecting on this journey, I see a clear thread linking my humble beginnings as a letter writer to a recognised voice in Malaysia's management and public relations landscape. NST transformed my potential into achievement, dreams into reality. I am deeply grateful for the role it has played, not only in my life but also in the lives of countless Malaysians. I invite you to reflect on how NST has shaped your stories and inspired your dreams. For me, the journey from a passionate reader and letter writer to a published author and international representative began with the pages of the NST, and it remains a journey I cherish every day. Here's to 180 years of excellence, inspiration and the power of storytelling. May the NST continue to be a beacon for generations to come.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
NST win Allianz Media Badminton Championship
KUALA LUMPUR: The New Straits Times (NST) badminton team have reclaimed the Allianz Media Badminton Championship title after falling to Astro in the finals in the last two years. NST defeated the defending champions 2-1 in a thrilling final at the TT Sports Centre today. Displaying great fighting spirit, particularly in the men's and mixed doubles, NST smashed their way to the title. Allianz Malaysia Berhad Chief Executive Officer Sean Wang congratulated NST on their achievement, emphasising the value of sportsmanship and teamwork. Sin Chew Daily claimed third place after defeating China Press in the playoff match. A total of 12 media teams competed in the 2025 edition, including two new entrants — Astro Arena and Sin Chew Daily - to make the annual event a success.
