Latest news with #RM42bil
The Star
01-07-2025
- The Star
Johor to tap into history, culture for tourism boost
BATU PAHAT: Johor is committed to enhancing elements of history and culture as key pillars of the state's tourism sector, with the aim of raising awareness of the state's rich heritage among both local and international visitors. Tourism Johor director Mohammad Nazrul Abd Rahim said that, in conjunction with the Visit Johor 2026 campaign, various initiatives and promotions will be implemented comprehensively to showcase Johor's wealth of historical sites, performing arts and traditional culture. 'Among the locations with potential to be highlighted is the JKR Barracks in Parit Sulong, now known as the Parit Sulong Gallery. 'It functions as a mini museum and once served as a 'silent witness' to fierce battles between Allied (Commonwealth) and Japanese forces during World War II,' he told Bernama during the Yok Ronda BP programme here yesterday. He said this site also commemorates an important incident in the nation's history, as it was the final battlefield before Japanese troops invaded Singapore and took control of Malaya at the time. According to Mohammad Nazrul, in addition to its historical richness, Johor is also home to various forms of performing arts and cultural traditions, such as ghazal and the craft of gambus making, which are increasingly unfamiliar to the younger generation. 'We will continue to elevate these cultural arts as part of our tourism products. Tourism Johor will also collaborate with other agencies, including the Johor Heritage Foundation, to ensure the success of these efforts,' he said. In addition, various small and medium enterprise products, such as kerepek and traditional snacks, will also be promoted as tourist attractions throughout the campaign. Mohammad Nazrul stated that efforts to promote Johor's historical heritage, arts, and culture will not end after the Visit Johor 2026 campaign but will continue as part of the state government's long-term agenda. Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has announced a target of 12 million domestic and international tourist arrivals and tourism revenue of RM42bil next year. The state government has also allocated RM116.35mil to upgrade public facilities and enhance tourist attractions in support of the campaign.
The Star
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Death row tycoon vows to turn empire into ‘golden goose'
Relentless legal battle: Lan (right) at a court hearing in Ho Chi Minh City in this file photo. — AFP A PROPERTY tycoon trying to avoid a death sentence for multi-billion-dollar fraud has promised to turn her property empire into a 'golden goose' to help pay back the assets she embezzled, her lawyer said. Property developer Truong My Lan lost an appeal in December against the death penalty in a case in which she was found guilty of stealing money from Saigon Commercial Bank (SCB) and fraud amounting to US$27bil (RM116bil). The appeal court ruled there was no basis to reduce her sentence but said she could still escape the death penalty if she paid back three-quarters of the amount stolen. In a letter sent from jail to a state-controlled committee handling her properties, Lan said her assets have been significantly undervalued, causing potential losses to the state and affecting her rights, her lawyer Giang Hong Thanh said. Lan said the government-appointed company that valued 726 of her assets, several of them real estate projects in prime areas of Vietnam's biggest cities, had estimated their worth at around US$9.7bil (RM42bil). But Lan argued in the wake of new land price guidelines issued by authorities in Ho Chi Minh City, where most of the projects are situated, that their value had likely increased by three to five times. She added that if her other 440 assets were valued, the state could collect another US$7.7bil (RM33bil) at least. 'I believe that with my 30-year experience in the real estate business and my thorough legal understanding, I could turn most of the assets into a golden goose so that the state can recover the costs,' Lan wrote in her letter, pleading for authorities to allow her involvement. Tens of thousands of people who invested their savings in SCB lost money, shocking the communist nation and prompting rare protests from the victims. In a second appeal trial in April, Lan's life sentence in a separate US$17bil (RM73bil) money laundering case was cut to 30 years. Prosecutors said she had repaid a quarter of the US$1.2bil (RM5.2bil) she defrauded from thousands of bond investors. — AFP
