Latest news with #Sirim
New Straits Times
18-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Over 20,000 companies use Sirim's testing, expertise every year
KULAI: It is estimated that more than 20,000 companies use Sirim's testing and expertise each year, said Sirim Bhd president and group chief executive officer Datuk Dr Ahmad Sabirin Arshad. He said this included the manufacturing, plastics, road construction and apparel sectors. "We have the expertise and facilities to conduct testing and verification at Sirim, apart from that, we also collaborate with all government agencies involved. "This is to ensure that what is used by the industries, including in terms of construction and so on, is safe for use," he said at the '2025 Sirim Silaturasa' event at Sirim Johor today. Johor State Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman Lee Ting Han was also present. Ahmad Sabirin, who was asked to comment on industries that utilised Sirim's expertise, also said that Sirim had an artificial intelligence (AI) centre, which, among other things, provided training and guidance to industry players through a programme sponsored by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti). "Through this programme, we are targeting industries that use AI under the Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) ecosystem. "So, we want to ensure that this year, 40 companies will receive guidance and next year the government is targeting around 3,000 companies over three years, with the companies targeted to become mentors to smaller firms," he said. He said the initiative, which was supported by the government, would ensure that Malaysia continued to progress in line with the rapid development of technology. Earlier, the 2025 Sirim Silaturasa event, held in conjunction with Sirim's 50th anniversary, provided an opportunity for industry players, government agencies, media representatives and academic partners to interact and build closer ties through interactive engagement sessions. – Bernama Nation May 5, 2025 @ 12:32pm 20,000 people expected at Asean Summit Nation Feb 14, 2025 @ 10:19am Chap Goh Mei in Penang draws 20,000 visitors Nation Apr 5, 2025 @ 4:55am Over 20,000 attend Sabah govt Aidilfitri open house Nation Jun 4, 2025 @ 6:52pm Sultan of Brunei applauds IJN's expertise
Free Malaysia Today
17-07-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Vietnam, Indonesia edge in US tariff fight a concern, says Chow
Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow at the opening of Sirim's radio frequency and electromagnetic compatibility testing lab at the Penang Skills Development Centre in Bayan Baru, Penang, today. GEORGE TOWN : Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow says the country is now at a 'real competitive disadvantage' after neighbours Vietnam and Indonesia were granted reduced tariff rates by US president Donald Trump. Trump recently said exports from Vietnam and Indonesia will face a 20% and 19% tariff respectively, this after Vietnam was initially hit with a 46% tariff while Indonesia was handed a 32% tariff rate. While Malaysia was first dealt with a 24% tariff rate in April, Trump increased the rate to 25% earlier this month. Negotiations to reduce the tariff are ongoing. 'The US raising tariffs on Malaysian goods to a staggering 25% is still very much a lingering issue. Meanwhile, the tariffs have been slashed for our neighbours. 'We must continue to explore creative and effective negotiation strategies, and bring these tariffs down by half,' he said. Penang is the country's number one state in terms of exports, making up nearly a third of national exports in 2024. Its strength lies in electrical and electronics goods, especially semiconductors. In a Bloomberg report last week, Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association president Wong Siew Hai said semiconductor companies are hoping that the US will continue to exempt semiconductors from tariffs beyond Aug 1, the deadline for higher levies announced by Trump. The US is Malaysia's third-largest market for semiconductor exports, and most major semiconductor firms in Penang are from the US, including Intel, AMD, and Micron. Chow earlier opened Sirim's radio frequency and electromagnetic compatibility testing lab at the Penang Skills Development Centre in Bayan Baru here. It will mainly benefit Penang's electrical, electronics and chip-making industries, which previously had to send their products to Shah Alam for such testing.
Malay Mail
11-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
MACC probes milk powder supplier over alleged tender price manipulation, RM120m supply monopoly
KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — A company supplying milk powder is being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for suspected manipulation of tender prices by between 10 and 50 per cent depending on the zone, apart from monopolising the market in supply contracts to a government department. According to sources, the company, owned by a married couple with their sons as the main shareholders, is believed to have been involved in supplying products worth RM120 million that did not meet the standards of the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (Sirim). 'The focus of the investigation is on tax issues, corruption and monopoly practices in the supply of milk powder tenders to a government department. 'The investigation is also looking into the ownership of the company, including the network of other distributors that play a role in the milk powder supply chain,' according to the source. Sources said so far 75 accounts have been frozen involving 24 individual accounts and 51 company accounts with a total value of RM174.6 million. 'Various documents involving the milk powder supply contract and financial documents were also seized, including mobile phones and laptops to enable further investigations to be carried out,' he said. Sources said so far 10 witnesses have been called to give statements to MACC, while another son of the couple who own the company is expected to appear at the MACC office next Tuesday or Wednesday. 'There have been no new arrests so far, but investigations are still continuing, including against the management of a government department that are directly involved in the milk powder supply contract,' he said. The media yesterday reported that three family members suspected of being the mastermind behind a milk supply tender monopoly for a government department over the past two decades were arrested under Op White here, last Tuesday. MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki reportedly said the family was suspected of being the mastermind behind a RM120 million milk powder supply cartel involving a government department. He said all the premises raided were suspected of storing all documents related to milk powder supply contracts since 2019 following MACC's investigation into two owners and a director of a milk powder supplier company that is believed to not meet Sirim's standards. The investigation is being conducted under Section 16 of the MACC Act 2009 in addition to identifying criminal elements under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA). — Bernama
New Straits Times
09-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
MACC raids factory, companies suspected of involvement in milk powder cartel
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officers raided a milk processing factory and two companies suspected of being behind a cartel supplying substandard milk powder to a government department. Investigations have revealed that most of the companies awarded the government tenders to supply the milk powder had no prior involvement in the production, processing or distribution of food and beverages. Seventy-five bank accounts, comprising 24 individual accounts and 51 company accounts, with a total value of approximately RM174 million have since been frozen. MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the raids were a follow-up to information obtained from the investigation into three members of a family on Tuesday. "The raid on the milk processing factory was aimed at inspecting documents related to the milk powder supply contracts they had secured, including financial documents. "The raids conducted today are a continuation of the investigation involving the family members, and initial findings also revealed that most of the companies awarded the government tenders to supply the milk powder had no prior involvement in the production, processing, or distribution of food and beverages," he told the New Straits Times. Azam said the background of these companies includes furniture, electrical, contractor, real estate, transportation, and civil engineering businesses. "Some of them earned profits of between 10 to 50 percent from supplying the milk powder. On Tuesday, the MACC Special Operations Division in an operation codenamed Op White and conducted with the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), raided three residences and one company in the Kuala Lumpur area. The company, owned by a husband-wife team, was said to have been supplying milk powder to a government department for decades. However, the milk powder was believed to have not met Sirim standards. MACC is also said to be investigating the son of the couple. Meanwhile, MACC Special Operations Division senior director Datuk Mohamad Zamri Zainul Abidin did not rule out the possibility of a monopoly in the supply of milk powder to government departments. "So far, statements from six individuals have been recorded. "The case is being investigated under Section 16 of the MACC Act 2009, the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001, and the Income Tax Act 1967," he said.
New Straits Times
09-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
RM120mil milk powder cartel busted
KUALA LUMPUR: Anti-corruption officers swooped inyesterday to raid a cartel masterminded by a family supplying milk powder which did not meet Sirim safety and quality standards to a government department. The cartel led by a married couple and their son had gotten contracts worth RM120 million. The cartel is believed to have been supplying the milk powder since 2019 or even earlier. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said a joint operation dubbed Op White was carried out yesterday in collaboration with the Inland Revenue Board and Bank Negara Malaysia. The operation saw raids carried out at three residences and a company premises in Kuala Lumpur. "These premises are believed to hold documents related to the supply of contracts stretching back to 2019," he told the New Straits Times. Though the documents go back only as far as 2019, Azam said the company, owned by the couple, was believed to have monopolised the government's milk powder supply tenders for over two decades. "The three suspects, aged between 40 and 70, were called in for questioning at the MACC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur earlier today (yesterday). "Investigators believe the company supplied substandard milk powder to a government department between 2021 and 2024. From 2024 to 2027, their contracts cover only the southern and east coast zones." Azam said the raids were based on intelligence gathered over the past three months. "All the suspects were brought in for questioning and relevant documents were seized. Another son of the couple, who is a company director, is out of town on work matters and has been told to return for questioning." In yesterday's operation, MACC also froze 75 bank accounts. They comprised 24 individual and 51 corporate accounts, with total assets amounting to RM156 million. Investigations are focused on Section 16 of the MACC Act 2009 related to corrupt practices, with parallel probes being conducted under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 and the Income Tax Act 1967.
