Latest news with #RM39.4mil
The Star
5 days ago
- General
- The Star
Special ops to translocate elephants begins in Johor
Mammoth move: Ling (left) petting an elephant that was brought in for the launch of the operation in Johor. Looking on are Abdul Kadir (centre) and Vidyananthan. KLUANG: The Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) has launched a special operation to translocate about 25 elephants across Peninsular Malaysia as part of its effort to address human-elephant conflicts, says its director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim. He said Johor – one of the states most affected by the conflict – would be the first state to carry out the operation. 'The operation officially begins this month, with Johor being the first state to carry it out with the support of about 30 Perhilitan officers from across the peninsula. 'It will then continue in other states affected by the conflict, and we expect to translocate about 25 wild elephants by July next year,' he said, adding that Johor Perhilitan will coordinate the operation. He said this after the launch of the Johor Elephant Translocation Operation here yesterday. Also present were Johor health and environment committee chairman Ling Tian Soon, Kahang assemblyman R. Vidyananthan and Johor Perhilitan director Aminuddin Jamin. Abdul Kadir added that the operation would involve the Elephant Capture Unit from the National Elephant Conservation Centre in Kuala Gandah as well as other agencies. 'One of the main objectives of the operation is to reduce elephant conflicts in high-risk areas systematically. It will also help us identify and relocate elephant groups that are actively disturbing agricultural areas, villages and residential zones. 'We also hope to collect scientific data through this operation to improve policies for managing wild elephants,' he said. He added that between 2020 and 2024, Perhilitan received 4,920 elephant-human related complaints. 'This led to losses amounting to about RM39.4mil with Johor, Kelantan, Pahang, Perak and Terengganu being the most affected states,' Abdul Kadir said. Meanwhile, Ling said nearly 700 complaints related to human-elephant conflicts in the state have been reported to Johor Perhilitan in the last five years. This is a serious issue, especially in the Kluang, Kota Tinggi, Mersing and Segamat districts, he said. 'In fact, in the first six months of this year alone, human-elephant conflicts have caused losses amounting to about RM1.1mil. 'While Johor Perhilitan has been actively conducting translocation operations annually, its workforce is not enough to cope with the high number of complaints. 'As such, we have reached out to the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry for assistance, which has led to the launch of the special translocation operation,' he said. Ling added the operation in Johor, which is being carried out from this month until December, was expected to translocate between 10 and 12 elephants. 'With this new operation, which is receiving support from Perhilitan officers from across Peninsular Malaysia, we expect to double that number,' he said. To support the effort, Ling said the state government had also channelled RM600,000 from its Ecological Fiscal Transfers fund for the operation. 'Johor is the only state that has made such an allocation, which shows our commitment to addressing the issue,' he added.
The Star
22-05-2025
- General
- The Star
JRTB elephant haven set for 2030 launch
IPOH: The Perak Elephant Sanctuary at East-West Highway (JRTB) is expected to be completed by 2030, says Perak's Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Yusoff Shariff. He said the RM40mil project was submitted to the Economy Ministry on May 6, and the decision on its construction falls entirely under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government. 'If everything goes smoothly, I think this sanctuary can operate as early as in 2028, but for (the infrastructure facility) to be fully completed, perhaps 2030 is a more realistic target. 'With the availability of such a facility, it will reduce human-elephant conflicts at JRTB by about 50%,' he said. Bernama reported on July 18, 2020, that the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry announced the development of the Perak Elephant Sanctuary at Batu 11, JRTB in Gerik. Based on Perhilitan's records, 4,919 complaints of human-elephant conflicts were reported between 2020 and 2024, with property loss estimated at RM39.4mil. On the effectiveness of a wildlife crossing at JRTB, Yusoff said the 200m underpass (viaduct) that was built for RM26mil in 2015 proved helpful, but does not guarantee the safety of elephants that inhabited the area along the route. He added that this was because the crossing was built at KM157 of the JRTB, and only used by elephants living nearby. 'The viaduct only helps on a small scale, and is only used by animals inhabiting that area. So, we feel that the setting up of a sanctuary will provide greater safety assurance for both road users and elephants at JRTB,' he said.
The Star
22-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Perhilitan expects elephant sanctuary in Gerik to be operational by 2030
IPOH: The Perak Elephant Sanctuary at Jalan Raya Timur-Barat (JRTB) is expected to be completed by 2030, says Perak Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) director Yusoff Shariff. He stated that the RM40mil project was submitted to the Economy Ministry on May 6, and the decision regarding its construction was solely under the jurisdiction of the Federal government. "If everything goes smoothly, I think this sanctuary can operate as early as 2028, but for the infrastructure facility to be fully completed, perhaps 2030 is a more realistic target. "With the availability of such a facility, it will reduce human-elephant conflicts at JRTB," he said when contacted by Bernama on Thursday (May 22). Bernama reported on July 18, 2020, that the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry announced the Perak Elephant Sanctuary (PES) development at Batu 11, JRTB in Gerik. Perhilitan's records show 4,919 complaints of human-elephant conflicts were reported between 2020 and 2024, with property loss estimated at RM39.4mil. On the effectiveness of a wildlife crossing at the JRTB, Yusoff said the 200-metre crossing, also known as a viaduct that was built for RM26mil in 2015, proved helpful but does not guarantee the safety of elephants that inhabit the area along the route. He added that this was because the crossing was built at KM157 of the JRTB and only used by the elephants inhabiting that area. "The viaduct only helps on a small scale and is only used by animals inhabiting that area. So, we feel that the setting up of a sanctuary will provide greater safety assurance for both road users and elephants at the JRTB," he said. He also did not rule out the possibility of building more wildlife crossings along the JRTB if there is a specific allocation for it. – Bernama
The Star
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Affin Bank cautious yet confident amid volatility
Affin Bank president and group CEO Datuk Wan Razly Abdullah PETALING JAYA: Affin Bank Bhd recorded double-digit year-on-year (y-o-y) growth in pre-tax profits to RM178.2mil for its first quarter ended March 31, 2025 (1Q25). The 23.7% increase was attributed to higher net income of RM39.4mil and a stronger share of results from associates amounting to RM21mil. 'Our 1Q25 performance reflects continued execution of the Affin Axelerate 2028 Plan, with pre-tax profits rising 23.7% y-o-y. 'This was underpinned by higher net interest income, an improved funding mix, and stronger contributions from associates,' Affin Group president and group CEO Datuk Wan Razly Abdullah said in a statement. 'Amid a persistently tight monetary environment and ongoing global macroeconomic headwinds, we continued to exercise prudent cost and credit discipline. 'While we remain cautious on the near-term outlook due to external volatility, we remain confident in our ability to navigate the landscape, supported by healthy asset quality, a well-diversified balance sheet, and disciplined execution,' he added. The bank's gross loans and financing grew 7.1% y-o-y to RM72.9bil, compared to RM68bil as of Mar 31, 2024. Customer deposits rose by 5.2% to RM75.5bil, while current account and savings account (CASA) ratio improved significantly to 32.2% as of March 31, 2025, up from 24.9% a year ago. 'Our CASA ratio surpassed financial year 2025 (FY25) target of 31%, as a result of our continued efforts to lower the group's cost of funds. 'We expect the momentum in CASA growth to snowball into lower cost of funds and net interest margin expansion,' Wan Razly said. Net interest income gained 6.4% to RM206mil, compared to RM193.7mil in the preceding financial quarter. Non-interest income came in at RM140.1mil, a slight decrease of 1.7% or RM2.4mil from RM142.5mil in the previous corresponding period. The bank said it has a strong business pipeline, which includes financial advisory services and debt capital market deals. Wan Razly highlighted Affin's recent lead role in financing of Macrovalue's acquisition of Cold Storage Singapore, adding that many more landmark deals are expected on this front. 'Our recent collaboration with MUFG Bank (M) Bhd, the fifth-largest bank in Asia, underscores our commitment to providing tailored solutions, facilitating cross-border trade and investment, and expanding our expertise in key areas, including Islamic finance, green finance, and digital transformation,' he said. 'By leveraging our deep market knowledge and MUFG's global network, we are unlocking new opportunities for our customers and business partners, helping them scale in an increasingly interconnected global economy,' he added. Meanwhile, the bank said its first international credit rating of A3 from Moody's Ratings strengthens its credit profile and elevates the group's standing in the global capital markets. 'This positions us to secure more cost-efficient US dollar funding, diversify our investor base, and unlock strategic cross-border financing opportunities that support our long-term growth trajectory,' Wan Razly said.
