Latest news with #NorFarahAqilahMohdSham
Barnama
20-06-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Zero Sales Tax On Local Fruits Will Strengthen National Economy
By Nor Farah Aqilah Mohd Sham and Siti Maisarah Abdul Ghani KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 (Bernama) -- The government's decision to maintain a zero Sales Tax for local fruits will not only encourage Malaysians to incorporate these agricultural products into their daily diet but will also be able to contribute to the national economy, according to experts. Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Melaka branch, Jasin Campus, Associate Professor Dr Fazleen Abdul Fatah said this was because, aside from being highly nutritious, local fruits would remain reasonably priced and accessible to the public with the zero Sales Tax in place. "Local fruits such as papaya and mango are naturally very rich in various nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and fibre, which are good for addressing skin, cellular, and heart-related health issues. "The content of bioactive compounds found in local fruits is also able to act as natural antioxidants, boost the immune system, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and many more," she told Bernama. According to Fazleen, local fruits will also be more easily available because these agricultural products do not need to go through a long transit period to be in the market, compared to imported fruits 'Purchasing local fruits can also help ensure the country's agricultural industry continues to grow and stabilise the food sector,' she said. A lecturer at the Department of Food Services Management, UiTM Puncak Alam, Selangor, Associate Professor Dr Zuraini Mat Issa@Zakaria, said Malaysia could reduce its dependence on imported fruits if the community prioritised local fruits 'In addition to the high costs of importing foreign fruits, it also contributes to a larger carbon footprint and environmental impact due to long transportation distances, high energy consumption for storage and packaging, and increased greenhouse gas emissions,' she said.
Barnama
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
Japan to Work With ASEAN on Myanmar Humanitarian Response
By Nurfardlina Izzati Moktar and Nor Farah Aqilah Mohd Sham KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Bernama) -- Japan has thrown its weight behind Malaysia's ASEAN chairmanship, hoping Kuala Lumpur will leverage the role to spearhead regional efforts to address the worsening crisis in Myanmar, including the delivery of humanitarian aid to the country, which has been further devastated by a powerful earthquake in March. Japan's Ambassador to Malaysia, Noriyuki Shikata, said Japan stands ready to work with ASEAN to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to Myanmar and is also keen to support and engage in the country's reconstruction. bootstrap slideshow "The situation in Myanmar has worsened because of the quake. We have been dispatching our humanitarian assistance and wish to engage in the reconstruction of the country. 'But at this point in time, it is very difficult to effectively conduct and carry out humanitarian assistance,' he said during an interview on Bernama TV's The Nation: Diplomatic Dispatch, on Wednesday. "I have very strong expectations for Malaysia as chair of ASEAN to address these urgent issues, and Japan looks forward to supporting Malaysia's role as a chair of the ASEAN process," he added. According to the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), the 7.7-magnitude earthquake near Mandalay on March 28 has killed more than 3,700 people. The quake caused widespread destruction to critical infrastructure and affected nearly 508,000 people, with more than 28,500 currently housed in 106 evacuation centres. The total estimated cost stands at US$1.7 billion with authorities continuing to verify this figure, the centre said.
